


Ravens and Angels

by Andromedanewton



Series: Anita Blake/Merry Gentry Crossover [2]
Category: Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter - Laurell K. Hamilton, Merry Gentry - Laurell K Hamilton
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Canon-Typical Violence, Crossover, Crossover Pairings, F/M, Multi, Sequel, Smut, please tell me if I missed any tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-23
Updated: 2016-06-04
Packaged: 2018-06-10 05:26:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 43
Words: 52,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6941707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andromedanewton/pseuds/Andromedanewton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anita Blake has had a busy year, and it's barely even halfway through.  When her boss tries to get her to do a raising she doesn't agree with she not only refuses but demands a vacation, needing a break from her hectic day to day life.  She chooses to visit her recently made friend, Merry Gentry, in LA, but she should have known that trouble always follows.</p><p>SEQUEL TO BY OSTARA MOONLIGHT</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here we go, part two in my Anita/Merry crossover series! If you missed part one, how they met, please read By Ostara Moonlight first! It will make more sense! Also I can't remember which books this is between but as it's canon divergence it doesn't matter overly much, you can probably figure it out. 
> 
> As before I will post around three chapters a day, more or less as I see fit (short chapters, cliffhangers etc!) so you have been warned!
> 
> The threesome mentioned above is very brief and in a dream sequence, not overly descriptive, if that matters!

I gave myself a quick once over in the mirror. I looked pretty good really. I was wearing grey dress and jacket. It was too hot for hose although I knew the theatre would be air-conditioned; I still had to get there. Strappy grey sandals finished off the outfit. I’d even put goop in my hair to keep the curls under control and caught back the sides from my face with a clip. A little touch of make up and some smart clothes and I looked presentable. There was a knock at the door as I turned off the bedroom light. Guess my ride was here.  
I checked the peephole and of course it was Jean Claude. Who else could it have been? An assassin maybe? After me? What a crazy idea…I opened the door and Jean Claude stood leant against the wall. He looked incredible in his tux, straight out of the pages of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. He held a top hat in one hand and a cane in the other. He smiled at me as I looked him over, showing no fang.  
“You look beautiful, ma petite.” He kissed me slightly so as not to smudge my lipstick.  
“You look overdressed.” I replied. “But good nonetheless.”  
He twirled for me as I grabbed my purse and came out of the door. “You think this is too much?”  
“Perhaps if you loose the top hat and cane, I won’t be embarrassed to be seen out with you.”  
He laughed and I shivered despite the heat. “If my lady desires it, I will leave them in the car.”  
“Thanks.” I said. I locked the door and he offered me his arm, which I took. He frowned at me. “You are wearing your knives, ma petite.”  
“I feel undressed without them.” I shrugged.  
“You have not been threatened in a month and yet you are armed for a trip to see My Fair Lady?”  
“Better safe than sorry.”  
“Where is your gun?”  
I smiled. “Wouldn’t you like to know.” It was actually in my purse. Thigh holsters may work in the movies but in real life they chafe like hell, and in this heat I could already feel the leather of my wrist sheaths rubbing.  
“I could find it.” He moved his arm to around my waist and I mirrored him, pulling our bodies closer.  
“We’d miss the show.” I got in his waiting limo. One thing with Jean Claude, he never did things by half.  
“I’ll find it later.” He promised with a smile.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anita's sleepy is showing!

I awoke to a gentle touch on my arm. It was the intermission and I’d fallen asleep. Jean Claude was smiling at me.  
“You must be very tired, ma petite. Would you like to go home?”  
I sat up properly in my seat and looked over the edge of the balcony. Most of the seats were empty as people made their way for refreshments.  
“No, I’m okay.” Actually I felt bone tired. Totally worn out. It had been a long year already and it was only June. It had been one thing after another this year. I’d had no chance to recuperate all the energy I seemed to be expending on everyday life. I’d been thinking lately a vacation might be in order. Jesus, I must have felt rough.  
I’d really wanted to see this musical and here I was dozing before the end of the first act. I cursed myself silently.  
“You look a little pale, ma petite. Are you sure you’re alright?”  
“That’s rich coming from you?” I shook my head “I’m just worn out. I think I need a break. Get away for a week or something.”  
“You need a vacation?” His smile returned. “We can go wherever you like, ma petite, Europe, Asia, you name it.”  
“Actually I was thinking I’d like a break alone.” His face didn’t change but the sparkle had gone from his eyes.  
“As you like, ma petite.”  
“Hey, it’s nothing personal. I just need a break from everything. Work, you, Ronnie, the whole Richard thing. I just need to get away for a while for some me time. Do you understand?”  
He nodded. “I understand completely.” His sparkle returned. “At least let me know when you plan on leaving, so I can give you a proper…” He leant in closer to me, “…goodbye…” closer, “…kiss.” His lips brushed mine softly at first then with more pressure. I opened my mouth to him willingly and felt his tongue brush mine. I caught it between my lips and sucked it gently until I brought a moan from his throat. I freed his tongue and kissed him back hard. His hand moved to cradle the back of my head but I pushed him back and away with my hands on his chest. He looked at me curiously. I stood up away from him and brushed invisible lint from my dress.  
“What’s wrong, ma petite?”  
I took his hand and pulled him to his feet. “Now we need to leave.” He smiled slyly at me but followed as I dragged him out of the private box and towards the exit.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smut, smutty, smut smut! That is all!

It was all we could do to keep our clothes on during the ride to the Circus of the Damned, but it was close. Jean Claude had me out of my jacket before we got down the stairs to his rooms and he had lost his by the time we got through the door. He’d taken off his cravat in the car and undone the top two buttons. I was now trying to relieve him of his shirt. I was walking backwards across the living area when I caught my heel and fell backwards. As I had a grip on his shirt he came down too, landing on top of me. I started laughing and he did the same, resting his head in the crook of my neck. His hair fell across my face and I breathed him in. I closed my eyes savouring his scent for a moment then found his buttons again. He started to kiss gently at the scars on my collarbone and up my neck, to my ear. He nibbled along my earlobe with just a slight brush of fangs, as I pulled his shirt free of his pants. I ran my hands up his body until they rested on his shoulders. I pushed the shirt over his shoulders as far as it would go and said; “Off.” He sat up to straddle me as he slid the shirt free and threw it to one side.  
“Now you have me at a disadvantage, ma petite.” His dark blue eyes stared down at me, filled with emotion and a hell of a lot of lust.  
“How are you going to even the odds?” I had a feeling I already knew the answer, but if he wanted to play…  
He fingered the sheath on my right wrist. “Off. Both of them.” He said. He watched me intently as I unbuckled them and lay them to one side. He leant behind him, still looking at me and removed my shoes, throwing them after his shirt. His shoes and socks went next.  
“Even?” I asked.  
“Not even close.” He leant over me again. His lips brushed mine and he slid an arm around my back and levered me to sit against him. It brought my head in line with his chest and I kissed a line between his nipples, gently licking one then the other as he unzipped my dress. He moaned as I ran my hands down the firm plains of his stomach to undo his belt and pants. He pushed the sleeves of my dress down over my arms, pinning them to my sides. He bent and kissed me again, softly and gently as though I might break then freed my hands and I rested them against his chest as he lowered me back to the floor. Before he moved his arm from behind me he undid my bra with a quick flick of his wrist. He moved his lips centimetres from mine as he threw the bra and said; “Now we are even, ma petite.”  
“Ha, you wish.” I whispered to him and moved my hands back to his waistband. I pushed until he went up into a push-up to allow me to push the pants past his hips. Halfway down I realised he wasn’t wearing any underwear. He pushed the pants the rest of the way off and, lying back down on top of me, kissed me passionately. I could feel him long and hard pressed against my abdomen and that alone made things tighten deep down inside me. He kissed along my jaw-line and whispered into my ear; “You are ahead of me again.” He kissed down my neck, past my collarbone to my breast. He brushed his tongue over one nipple and then the other, causing them both to tighten. I looked down to find him looking up at me through his dark hair and lashes. He smiled slightly and continued to kiss his way down, maintaining eye contact the whole way. It made it incredibly intimate.  
He leant up on one elbow and removed my dress and panties with one smooth movement then he was back kissing my stomach and hips. My stomach was fluttering and as he brushed his tongue over my thigh and closer still. I gasped, my head falling back to the floor. He pushed his finger inside me as his tongue stroked me and I cried out. I arched my back as his touch started tremors of pleasure through my body. I screamed and my body shuddered as he brought me to release with his touch alone. He moved back to his push-up position and stared down at me smiling. My breath was coming in short gasps.  
“Can we move to the bedroom now, ma petite?” I nodded and he helped me to my feet. My legs were shot and he scooped me effortlessly into his arms, like a groom carrying his bride across the threshold, and kissed me as he walked towards the bedroom. Normally I would have complained that I was capable of doing my own walking, thank you very much, but I really didn’t feel up to walking even that short distance. And it was Jean Claude’s fault so let him take the weight.  
He laid me on the bed sideways. Somewhere between the lounge and bedroom he’d acquired a condom. I watched his eyes as he slipped it on. He bent over to kiss me as he pushed himself inside me. I moaned as he started a rhythm moving inside me. I could feel every inch of him as though my nerve endings were bare to his touch. He pushed me further up the bed until he knelt between my legs. I slid my legs around his waist and he took my hands, pulling me up until I sat in his lap. I lowered my legs until they were braced against him, my arms around his neck, his hands cupping my buttocks. I begun to move slowly against him at first, savouring the feel of him inside me. I ran my nails across his shoulders, deep enough to draw blood, he nibbled and sucked at my neck and collarbone, no fangs though, he knew better. I increased my speed until he cried out, he threw me back against the pillows and drove himself deep inside me and I screamed over and over until he joined me, our cries mingling until I was no longer sure where my body ended and his begun. I came back to myself as he collapsed on top of me, his forehead resting on mine. He planted a quick kiss on my lips and smiled down at me, looking like the cat that got the cream. He laughed slightly and kissed me again.   
“I lose myself when I’m with you, ma petite.”  
I smiled as I looked up into his midnight blue eyes. “Yeah, me too.” He rolled off me and padded softly to the bathroom. I pulled the burgundy silk sheet up to my chin and rolled onto my side, breathing in the scent of him from the pillow.  
He came back from the bathroom and slid under the sheet with me, pulling me close to him so I could rest my head on his shoulder. He kissed my forehead and I angled my head up to look at him.  
“I’m hungry.” I said and he raised an eyebrow. “For food, dummy.” I shoved him slightly.  
“What would you like?” He asked. I thought for a moment.  
“Corn dogs and popcorn.” He pulled a face. “Hey, you don’t have to eat it, just taste it. And it’s convenient too. We just have to go upstairs and voila, instant carnival food.”  
“Can you walk up the stairs, ma petite?” He looked amused.  
I rolled onto my stomach and frowned up at him for a moment. “Probably not.” I said with a chuckle. “But it’s all your fault. I should make you go get me something.”  
He laughed out loud. “My dear Anita, I have people to do that for me!”  
I realised he was probably right. “Fine. I’ll have two corn dogs and a packet of popcorn.”  
“And a can of coke?”  
“And a can of coke.” I said leaning up on my elbows and planting a quick kiss on his lips. “And I’m now going to stagger into the bathroom and take a bath, if that’s okay with you?”  
He nodded and I slid out of his embrace and the bed. I kept my hands on the mattress for a moment to make sure my legs could take my weight then set off to the bathroom. My legs felt like jelly, as though they would give out on me. I was used to that feeling, usually from being beaten up somehow, but I was still getting used to post-sex jelly legs. I enjoyed it a lot more than post-fight jelly legs.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Incredibly short filler chapter.

I was laying in the large hot tub in Jean Claude’s bathroom, up to my neck in bubbles when he came through the door carrying a tray. On it were two corndogs, a packet of popcorn and a can of coke. He rested it on the side of the tub beside me.  
“Dinner is served.” He said with a flourish as he climbed in to join me.  
I shook the bubbles off my hands and picked up one of the corndogs. He was watching me intently. I pulled a piece of meat, honest that’s what it is, off the stick with my fingers and popped it into my mouth. I’d never been able to bring myself to eat them straight off the stick. I always thought it looked obscene. I caught a look of disappointment cross Jean Claude’s eyes for a second and then it was gone. I knew he’d been thinking along the same lines and I smiled at him.  
“Something has amused you, ma petite?”  
“Oh nothing.” I said, still smirking. He dunked his head under the water and I thought he was preparing to wash it until he resurfaced right in front of me. I just looked at him, picking at my corndog. He pushed my legs apart and pulled me against him. I could feel him hard and slick against me in the water.  
“Don’t you ever get tired?” I asked him.  
“Of this, ma petite?” He said, taking the corndog from me and resting it back on the tray, “Never.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to get up, your boss doesn't care if you only had two and half hours sleep!

I lay in bed listening to the phone ring, come on answer phone, pick up already. It didn’t and on the twelfth ring I pulled my head from under the pillow and snatched up the receiver.  
“Oh good, Anita, you’re up.” It was my boss, Bert.   
“What do you want, Bert? It’s…” I looked at the clock, seven twenty. I’d had almost two and a half hours sleep. Woohoo. “…Early.” I said.  
“I have a client who wants to see you, right away.” He sounded eager. I’d bet my life on someone having offered him a lot of money. I could already envision the dollar signs in his eyes. Okay, maybe not my life, maybe my Nike collection.  
“Can’t it wait till this afternoon?”  
“If it could wait until this afternoon I would have waited until you came into the office.” His voice had gone a little sterner. I was pissing him off. The day was looking up already.  
“Okay, okay. I’ll be there as soon as I can. What’s the scoop?”  
“You’ll see when you get here.” He hung up. That was Bert. Tell me he needs me but not why. I resisted the urge to crawl back under the covers and slid my legs out of bed. For all that I had slept it hadn’t been good. It was hot and sticky. We needed a good thunderstorm but it didn’t seem like we were going to get one. St Louis in the summer, huh? I felt the urge to move to Antarctica every summer. That is until I realised how long the flight would be.  
I’d showered before bed but my t-shirt was sticking to me with a fine film of sweat. I showered again and thought about last night and my date with Jean Claude. I’d finally got back to my apartment at four, tired but happy. Now I was just tired. I wasn’t due in the office until three. I was missing out on a good couple of hours more sleep at least.  
I let the water run over my body, smiling as I remembered the places Jean Claude had touched me, kissed me last night. Say what you like about him, he was a damn good lover. When I finally left my apartment wearing a light summer suit half an hour later I had a spring in my sleepy step. Good sex will do that for you. It’ll also make your legs shake like jelly when you dare walk. Jean Claude had thought it really funny when I’d tried to leave hours later and could still hardly walk. I told him it was all his fault and I’d get him back. I’d heard him laughing all the way up the stairs.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anita snaps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things will pick up soon, I promise! These are more scene setting chapters I guess, but there will be more going on soon!

The drive to my office was a quiet one. After all, who’s about at seven forty-five on a Saturday? Just Bert and me I was guessing. Jean Claude would be all tucked up in his coffin by now, recovering from last night and this morning. They say no rest for the wicked. If that’s true, how come vampires always get at least eight hours sleep a day? I rarely got a good night sleep. Does that make me wicked? Naw.  
The offices we shared were silent as I went through them, confirming it was only insane animators and their bosses who were around. I opened the door to our reception area and smiled at Craig, our night secretary.  
“Hi, Craig.”  
“Hey, Anita. Bert’s waiting for you in his office.”  
“Thanks.” I didn’t mean it.  
Bert’s office door was shut and I dutifully knocked but walked straight in. He was expecting me, right? Bert’s office is cold blues. He thinks it’s calming. I think it’s like sitting inside an ice-cube.   
A man in his early thirties, perhaps late twenties, sat in one of the two seats opposite Bert. Bert waved me in and I took the other chair.  
“Anita Blake, this is Hamilton Glenshaw. Mr Glenshaw, Anita Blake.” I shook his hand. It was a firm handshake. “Mr Glenshaw has an interesting proposition for us, Anita.”   
“Really?” I asked. It must have been interesting to get Bert in here at seven on a Saturday.  
“Please, Mr Glenshaw, tell her.”  
Mr Glenshaw cleared his throat. “It’s really quite simple, Ms Blake. I want you to perform a raising for me, tonight.”  
Okay, not interesting so far. “I perform raisings most nights, Mr Glenshaw. What’s so special about this one?”  
“It’s for my daughter, I mean, it’s not my actual daughter, she’s alive, but it’s for her sake.”  
“I still don’t follow.” I shook my head. If he didn’t get to the point soon I was going to have to pull a knife on him…or maybe my Browning…  
“Well, you see my daughter is away at camp and her dog has died and…”  
“Excuse me?” I sat there with my mouth open.  
He coughed nervously and pushed his glasses up his nose. “We don’t want her to be upset. Only she’s back from camp tomorrow…"  
“Pardon me, Mr Glenshaw.” I turned to Bert. “Bert could I have a word with you outside?” I didn’t wait for an answer; I just got up and left, expecting him to follow. I went into one of the other offices and waited for him to come in.  
“Something wrong, Anita?” He asked as he closed the door.  
“Yeah, something’s wrong. That guy wants a dog raising.”  
“And he’s willing to pay quarter of a million dollars if we do it tonight.”  
That was it. Money. Someone had mentioned the million, even quarter, and Bert was positively drooling.  
“Why me, Bert?” I pinched the bridge of my nose and screwed up my eyes.  
“Mr Glenshaw is a very wealthy and influential businessman. He wants only the best for his little girl.”  
“I am not raising a dog. Or any animal for that matter.”  
“Why not?”  
That was the problem with Bert, fantastic business sense, not a clue when it came to animating.  
“Because the dog won’t be the same. It’ll just sit and stare. And it’ll start to rot. How do you tell a kid why their dog smells like old garbage and it keeps falling apart, literally?”  
“It’s a lot of money, Anita.”  
“If you want it done, get someone else to do it.”  
“He wants you.”  
“Let him want. I won’t stop you taking his money Bert, but find someone else, I won’t raise the dog on moral grounds.” My head was starting to pound. This was the kind of thing I need a break from.  
“But you’ll raise humans?” He was scowling at me. I scowled right back.  
“With humans it’s different. A little bit of the conscious remains. You can get out of them what you need then put them back, generally.”  
“But won’t the dog just be more obedient? Still fetch the stick when told?”  
“No. A dog fetches a stick because it’s fun, not because it’s told to.”  
Bert stared at me for a moment then said; “What am I to tell him?”  
“Tell him that you’ll have to call in another animator.” Something snapped. I’d had enough. This could get messy. “Tell him I’m on vacation.”   
“But you’re not.”  
“Oh I think you’ll find I am.” I shook my head. “I need a break, Bert. It’s all getting too hard. Two weeks off, starting now. That’s all I ask.”  
“At this short notice?” He almost yelled.  
“Two weeks or I don’t come back.” I almost yelled. “No one likes a burnt out animator, Bert. That’s what you’re going to get if I don’t get a break.”  
He looked into my eyes and he must have seen something in them, perhaps the pain that was throbbing behind them. Perhaps the stubborn determination. Perhaps he just had the sense not to push me right now.  
“Alright.” He said eventually. “You can have your two weeks. Be back here two weeks from Monday. Midday, or don’t come back at all.”  
“Thanks, Bert.” I resisted the urge to hug him. “I’d strongly recommend against the dog though.”  
“I know you do. I’ll see what Jamison says.” I walked past him out the door. “Where are you going to go?”  
“I have no idea.” I said, smiling. I did have a vague idea; I just didn’t like the idea of flying to get there. And I sure as hell wasn’t telling Bert where I was going; he’d probably try and get me some local work while I was there.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anita makes some calls, part one

I bought myself a coffee at Denny’s on the way home and sipped it as I drove. Why does the first cup always taste so good? Natural cravings I guess. I called Dolph as soon as I got in. I got his answer phone. Well it was nine o’clock on a Saturday; he was probably doing the sensible thing and is still in bed.  
“Dolph, it’s Anita. I’m going out of town for a while, if you need me…”  
“Anita, I’m here.” He sounded out of breath.  
“Oh hi, Dolph, did you catch that?”  
“Yeah, what’s going on?”  
“I’m just desperately in need of a break. Think you’ll cope without me?”  
“I think we can manage, just about. Where are you going?”  
“I’m not sure yet, but I have an idea. I’ll keep my beeper on me in case you do need to contact me. I’m sure one of the other guys will be only too happy to help out. John Burke may be your best bet.”  
“If we need help I’ll try you first, maybe you’ll be back. Then we’ll see who your boss can spare.”   
“Thanks, Dolph. I’ll call you when I get back.”  
“Okay, Anita.” He hung up. I replaced the receiver and looked at the phone for a moment. I got my phone book out and thumbed through to G. It was probably a little early to be calling LA, what with the time difference and all so I left the book open. I called Ronnie. I told her the same as I told everyone else. I was going away. I didn’t know where. Call her when I got back. Then I did the most sensible thing I’d done all morning. I crawled back into bed and slept until one.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anita makes some calls, part two!

I had a cup of coffee before I made my call. No point in sounding like I’d just got up. Getting up at one on a Saturday? How uncouth. Just me and half the population I was betting. The phone was answered on the third ring by a cheery male voice.  
“Hello?”  
“Galen?” I asked.  
“Yeah, who’s this?”  
“It’s Anita Blake.”  
“Oh hi, Anita! How are you?” I smiled. I liked Galen. Of Princess Meredith’s guards, he was my favourite. A friend, if you like.  
“Not too bad, is Merry around?”  
“No, she’s out. Can I do anything?”  
I thought for a second. Was it rude to ask one of the guards if the Princess’ offer for me to come stay was still open and could I come soon? Hey but nobody ever accused me of doing what was right. “Yeah, do you think her offer is still open for me to come and stay with you guys?” There I’d said it. Quite politely too.  
“I’m sure it is.” He sounded pleased. “When were you thinking?”  
“As soon as possible. I desperately need the break and when I thought of the most relaxing time I’d ever had I thought of the week you guys stayed in St Louis.”  
He laughed at that. It put me at ease at once. He’d be pleased to see me at least.  
“I’d hardly call that relaxing, but just hop on a plane and I’ll pick you up at the airport, anytime.” A plane. Shit. I hate flying. How could I have forgotten? But at the chance of seeing Galen’s smiling face again I might just risk it.  
“If it’s all the same with you I’d rather check it was okay with Merry first before I show up on your doorstep.”  
“Sure, no problem. Where can you be reached?”  
“On my home number. Get her to call me soon, okay? I can’t wait to get out of here.”  
He hesitated for a moment. “Will you be on your own or should we prepare a second guest room?”  
Bless him. He’d remembered my sleeping requirements from last time. “No, Galen, I’ll be alone.”  
“Oh, okay. Something happen?” He sounded concerned. I could imagine his delicate green eyebrows fighting to meet like caterpillars above his eyes.  
“Yeah, shit loads, I’d rather not go into it over the phone.”  
“Sure thing. I’ll get Merry to call you soon, okay?”  
“Okay, Galen. Thanks.”  
“Bye, Anita.”  
I poured myself another coffee and worked out the time. Would Jean Claude be up yet? He only needed eight hours from dawn then he could move about freely as long as he didn’t want to go outside or anywhere there was sunlight. He’d had his chance for more than eight hours so I called him. The phone was answered on its second ring, but not by Jean Claude.  
“Jason?”  
“Hi, Anita. You want the boss?”  
“No, I need to speak to Jean Claude.”  
He laughed. I was serious. No one was my boss, except Bert maybe, and only then at an extreme push. Jean Claude came on the line, his voice thick with sleep.  
“Oui, ma petite?”  
“I just wanted to let you know I’m going out of town.”  
“Out of town? Business of pleasure?”   
“Pleasure. I’m going to stay with Merry Gentry in LA for a few days.”  
“And you are flying over? My, my ma petite, how brave.”  
“Yeah, don’t rub it in.”  
“When are you leaving?”  
“I don’t know yet. As soon as possible. I’m waiting for Merry to call me back.”  
“Would you like me to come with you, ma petite?”  
“Thanks, Jean Claude, but no, I need some time alone. Just relaxing. If you come along I won’t spend a single night out of bed.”  
He laughed and I wondered if he was naked. His laugh alone made me think of that kind of thing. “Ma petite, would that be such a bad thing?”  
“Hey, I need to relax, that means getting the feeling back in my legs.”  
“How are your delicious legs today?”  
“They’re fine, no thanks to you.” He laughed again.  
“As soon as you return I will abolish all feeling again, you realise that?”  
“Yeah sure, but after a few days I’ll be fit to start over.”  
“Have you booked your flight yet?”  
“No, Jean Claude, I don’t know when I’m going.”  
“Then call me when you want to leave. I will arrange for my jet to take you. I would rather know you landed terrified in my plane than at the hands of some commercial pilot.”  
“It’s not necessary, Jean Claude, really. I can fly commercial if I have to, just like everyone else.”  
“But you are not everyone else, ma petite. You are ma amore. Allow me to do this for you, please.”  
Perhaps it was the please. I caved. “Okay I’ll call you when I know its okay. Okay?”  
“Come and see me before you leave, ma petite. I wish to give you a goodbye you will never forget.”  
“Only if Jason’s not involved.”  
“If you tell me when you are coming to see me I will make sure we are alone.”  
“I’ll call you, Jean Claude.”  
“Aurevoir, ma petite.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anita makes some calls, part three!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I think that's all her calls made for now! So many little filler phone calls I will be adding a bonus fourth chapter today, Anita arriving in LA! What could possibly go wrong?

Galen had said that I could go anytime. I really didn’t expect them to drop everything just for me, but it would be nice to get away. And as much as I hated flying, I would rather go to LA than sit here for a fortnight twiddling my thumbs. I started to get a few things together, vague ideas of what I would take. If St Louis was anything to go by LA was going to be like an oven. I picked my most light outfits. A couple of suits, lots of shorts, polo shirts and tank tops. A few of pairs of jeans. I even put in a summer dress I’d never worn before. I mean, who knows me in LA right? The worse trouble I could get in involved Rhys.   
That brought me back to myself. I’d forgotten about him. When they were here in March I’d almost slept with him. Then I got pissed at him for not telling me the risks of becoming elf-struck. Then we’d had a pleasant goodbye at the airport and he’s sent me some flowers. I did not need this again. I had no idea how I felt about him. Sure I lusted after him. Trust me to pick out of all the guards the one with the scars who used to be a death god. He said he’d been attracted to me partially because of my magic. I was suddenly thinking maybe that was the case with me too. Well, I guess I’d deal with that guard when I crossed him. At least there wouldn’t be the tension with Frost and Doyle if Jean Claude and Richard weren’t going.  
The phone rang and I answered it before the answer phone kicked in.  
“Hi, Anita? It’s Merry.”  
“Hey, Merry.”  
“Galen said you want to come stay with us.”  
“If it’s okay?” I tried sounding apologetic. It was really short notice after all.  
“It’s not a problem. How long do you want to stay for?”  
“Well I have two weeks off work so for a little of that time would be good. When’s your choice.”  
“Galen said you sounded desperate. Needed away as soon as possible. Is something wrong?”  
“Nothing major. I’m just burnt out. I need to get away from everything.”  
“You can come as soon as you’re ready. I’ve spoken with my boss and seeing as I’m not on a case right now he’s allowing me to take time off to spend with you, so long as I finish my paperwork.”  
“Sounds great. Jean Claude has offered to get me flown…” I said that with gritted teeth “…out when I like, so I’ll let you know what time you can expect me.”  
“That’s great. Call me soon, okay?”  
“Okay, Merry. Thanks, I really appreciate it.”   
“It’s no problem, call it partial payback, okay?”  
“Okay. Speak to you soon.”  
“Bye, Anita.”   
I called Jean Claude and he told me he’d send the limo to take me to the Circus. He’d have the flight details for me as soon as I got there and he could say goodbye. I asked for an hour to pack. I packed cautiously. I had no idea how I was going to pack my guns. Perhaps I could sneak them in? And probably get arrested in the process. Maybe I could get Dolph to get me permission, but it wasn’t for police business, why would I be armed? I called Merry again. She said she’d see what she could do. She called back to say it had been arranged that I was a human guard posted for her protection and that I had to be armed. The LAPD had bought it apparently. It was all cleared. That was all the prompting I needed. I packed my Browning, my Firestar, my Derringer and my knives. I thought about the Uzi but that’s overkill, I was on vacation, right? What was I going to do, shoot the sun for being too hot? One last thing, Sigmund, my favourite stuffed penguin. Just in case.  
The limo arrived and took my bags and me to the Circus. It was quiet on a Saturday afternoon. No one around in daylight hours. Jason met me at the door and let me through. He let himself out at the same time. Good boy. I traipsed down the steps to Jean Claude’s rooms. He was in bed waiting for me. He was right. It was a goodbye I wouldn’t forget in a hurry.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonus chapter! Anita explains to Galen why she was in such a hurry to get out of St Louis.

I landed at Los Angeles Airport at eight o’clock. I’d lost a couple of hours in the time difference so it felt more like ten o’clock to me. Galen was standing just through the arrivals gate with a broad grin on his face. He was wearing cut off jeans and a green t-shirt. On his feet he wore white Nikes with a green swoosh. He ran towards me and swept me up into a tight hug. I was surprised but let him; he was a lot bigger than me after all. I normally didn’t go in for public displays of affection but for Galen I’d make an exception. He finally put me back on my feet and stood looking down at me, grin still in place.   
“You look great.” He said finally. He picked up my case and led the way through the terminal. I wanted to argue but didn’t have the energy. I was spending too much on smiling. “I have the car waiting outside.”  
“Great, I’m bushed.”   
He waited until we were in the car before he started up conversation again.  
“So what’s so bad you had to get away?” I rubbed my eyes. I wasn’t expecting to get twenty questions so quickly.  
“Oh I’m just tired out. I’ve not had a break since Christmas.” I lied.  
“Anita.” He said it like I was a naughty child, telling fibs.  
“Okay, everything went to hell last month. Richard killed Marcus so he got control of the pack, I slept with Jean Claude and I haven’t seen Richard since and this morning I got asked if I could bring a dog back from the grave.” I sighed. “But I really haven’t had a break since Christmas. I have to get some time away from St Louis, work and Jean Claude. I need to remember who I am, rather than just an animator or girlfriend. Does that make an sense?” I looked at him as he drove. He had a frown on his face.  
“Sounds like you’ve been busy. How do you feel, actually feel, deep down?”  
I smiled at him. “That’s the first time anyone’s asked me. I’ve been asked how I was, but not how I actually felt. Thanks, Galen.”   
“You’re welcome, but how do you feel?”  
“I feel pretty crappy. I honestly thought I’d end up with Richard rather than Jean Claude. Just hours before I slept with Jean Claude I told Richard I’d chosen him. Guess I screwed that up.”  
“How did you end up in bed with Jean Claude if you’d chosen Richard?”  
I told him. He sat and listened intently, nodding as I told him how I’d seen Richard change on top of me and then eat Marcus and that it had freaked me out. “Really, I’d had no intention of sleeping with Jean Claude, ever. But it just sort of happened.”  
“Are you still sleeping with him?”  
“Yeah.” I sighed.   
“If you didn’t want to sleep with him but you did why are you still?”  
I wasn’t sure if I wanted Galen to know I was in love with Jean Claude, it was complicated enough explaining you were dating a walking corpse. “Think of Jean Claude like a tube of Pringles. Once you pop…”  
“You can’t stop.” He finished for me. We both laughed. A lot.   
“Well, we have at least a week of total relaxation planned for you. We don’t do anything without your go ahead. No work, no nothing.”  
“Just relaxation for me and baby-making for you guys, huh?”  
“Yeah. That’s the ones.”  
I watched the buildings go by for a moment. I’d never been to LA before. Even at this time everywhere was bustling. “Where do you guys live?” I asked.  
“You aren’t gonna believe me.” He said with a smile, “But have you heard of the movie star, Maeve Reed?”  
“Sure. Big Sidhe actress been making movies in her glorious immortality for years, right?”  
“That’s her. Well we live in her guest house.”  
“You’re kidding?”  
“Nope, we saved her life a couple of months ago and she lets us live there as a thank you. It’s a lot more roomy than Merry's one bedroom apartment.”  
“One bedroom and six of you? How the hell did you all manage?”  
“In shifts.” He said. We laughed again. It was always relaxing being with Galen.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back to the Gentry house!

We pulled into the grounds of Maeve Reed’s house, or should that be estate? She lived in Holmby Hills. Not the fashionable district of Beverley Hills where all the new starlets want to live, but where the old money is. And lots of it. The guesthouse sat in the acres of land. Far enough from the main house to be private but near enough to stagger back to after a raucous celebrity party. I hoped I didn’t encounter any of those.  
The guesthouse itself was huge. It was bigger than my entire apartment building. The front door opened into a light and airy entrance hall. Through to the right was a dining room, to the left a living area. Two doors sat in the opposite wall one closed, one open revealing a kitchen area. Stairs wound from the left side of the room up to the next floor. Everything was spotless. Let’s hear it for cleaning crews, huh? I wouldn’t give mine up for anything.  
Merry came out of the kitchen carrying a tall glass of something cold. She smiled as she approached me, giving Galen her glass to give me a hug.  
“I thought I heard the door. How was your flight?”  
“Okay, as flights go.” I said, pulling a face.  
“She came in by private jet.” Said Galen, draining the glass. Merry frowned at him. I wasn’t sure if it was because he’d told a tale or drunk her drink.  
“That was my drink, Galen.” Her voice sounded like she was hinting at other things.  
“Sorry.” He said with a grin. He didn’t look sorry.  
“Just for that you can take Anita’s case to her room.” He picked up my case and headed towards the stairs.  
“Do you want to freshen up?” She asked, turning back to me.   
“No thanks, but I don’t think it’ll be long until I’m in bed. I’m still on St Louis time.”  
“Can I get you something to drink then?”  
“That’d be great.”  
I followed her through to the kitchen. It was larger than my living room. A breakfast bar stood out from one side of the counters, a large hob stood in the middle of the floor, like the kind the celebrities have in Cribs. I’d never known anyone who really had one. I always thought they were for show. The cupboard doors were in pale wood, almost white. Everything else was chrome. It looked extremely modern. Very now, if that’s the now phrase. She opened the door to the larder size fridge.  
“Coke okay?”  
“Sure.” She handed me a can. It was real coke. None of this diet crap. Give me caffeine and sugar any day. As we walked back through the hall to the lounge she said; “The spare room’s up on the second floor. Galen’s room is up there and so is Nicca’s.” I nodded. As we entered the room three familiar faces looked up at me. Frost was reading, Doyle and Nicca were watching the news channel.  
“You remember Frost, Doyle & Nicca?”  
“Yeah, hi.” We all shook hands. I hadn’t really bonded with any of them the last time we’d met. With Doyle and Frost we’d been too busy trying to stop them killing Jean Claude and Richard, or at least trying to. Movement from the corner of the room caught my eye. A large covered dog bed filled one corner of the room. From it emerged a small man. Not small like a dwarf, but just small. He looked like a small Sidhe. He stood at about four foot but was perfect besides that. His skin was a magical pearlesance. His eyes sapphire blue, but his pupils were pure black slits. His thick dark hair fell in curls to just below his ears. He went and stood beside Merry, taking her hand and standing slightly behind her so I couldn’t see him fully like a nervous child.  
“This is Kitto.” Merry said.   
He stood out to look and me and said “Hello.” Softly before stepping back behind her.  
Large patio doors covered one wall of the room, open onto the summer evening. Through them flew a demi-fey. Male by the look of his clothes. He looked like a cross between a Ken doll and a butterfly. He swept elegantly into the room on gossamer wings and landed on the coffee table in front of us.  
“Sage, this is Anita Blake.”  
He flew up to get a better look at my face.  
“Hi.” He said, and flew out of the room into the hall and I watched him go.  
“I thought I heard voices.” I turned back to the patio doors to see Rhys walking through them. He was wearing nothing but a pair of flimsy white shorts, his perfectly pale body marred by his pink scars and eye patch. His hair was tied back from his face. I took a sip of my coke, my mouth suddenly dry.  
“Hi, Rhys.” I said. It sounded full of emotion and I hadn’t wanted it to. Damn.  
“Hey, Anita.” We stood and looked at each other across the room for a moment until Galen came into the room and said; “Well, this is awkward.”  
I felt a blush seeping up from my neck and I looked down, very interested in my can of soda.  
“Whoops, sorry. Guess that made it worse.” Said Galen. “Anybody hungry?”  
There were murmurs from all round and the great food debate began. Eventually we decided on pizza. While we waited for it to be delivered Merry showed me to my room. We went up the first flight of stairs then round the landing to a set of spiral stairs leading up again. If any bad guys wanted upstairs they’d have to come up one at a time. Bad guys? What was I thinking? I was on vacation, right?  
“Galen’s room is this one.” Merry was saying. “Nicca’s is over there and this is your room.” She opened the door and I stood open mouthed at the room beyond. It was enormous. A large four-poster sat against one wall. A small sitting area with television set sat to one side. Every item of furniture matched in heavy pine. Not quite antique but still expensive. The furnishings were in hues of deep red.  
“There’s an en-suite through there so you have total privacy.”  
“This is great.” I said, ever the mistress of understatement. “I’ll unpack and then probably come to bed after dinner.”  
“I can go and leave you to it if you want. Or I can stay if you want to talk.”  
I smiled at her. “You want to know why I’m suddenly so desperate to get away from St Louis?”  
“I will admit I’m curious.” She said with a smile. “I never thought we’d get you out here.”  
“I made a real mess of things.” I said, sitting heavily on the bed and laying back, hands over my face.  
“What things in particular?” She asked and I felt her sit beside me on the bed.  
“Jean Claude and Richard mainly.”  
“What happened?” I looked at her and took a deep breath.  
“I slept with Jean Claude.”  
“You and Richard broke up?”  
“We did after that.” I said. I told her the whole story, leading right up to date with Bert and the dog raising. “I just need to be away from everything for a few days. Recharge.”  
She nodded. “Well, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve taken some time off work so I can show you round, whatever you want to do. It’ll be a vacation for both of us.”  
“Thanks, Merry.” I said, giving her a smile. “If not for you I’d probably be sitting in Paris with Jean Claude right now.”  
She raised an eyebrow, “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”  
“I need a break from him too.” The look on her face made me say; “Don’t get me wrong, I love him. But he’s hard work. It’s not a normal relationship. We can’t do the things normal couples do. Everything is in darkness. And everyone now knows who we both are. We don’t even get any private dates anymore. We’re the city’s new glamorous couple. The paparazzi eat us up. I hate attention.”  
“I’ll agree with that.” She sighed. “I can’t go anywhere without cloaking myself in glamour.”  
“A fine pair we make.” I laughed.  
“Yeah, famous for all the wrong reasons.”  
We heard the doorbell ring. “That’ll be dinner.” She said and we went downstairs.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING! OUT OF CHARACTER DRESSING! Just for a little bit, promise!

It was almost eleven when I crawled into bed. I decided to forgo my evening shower. I was on vacation after all and I could take all the time I wanted in the morning. Nowhere to rush off to. I never understood the kind of people who’d go on vacation and go out from dawn until dusk seeing every sight. Surely a vacation is for relaxing? I certainly didn’t want to even contemplate seeing daylight before 10am.  
I didn’t. I woke up just before eleven. I lay on the comfy bed for an extra half an hour just listening to the air conditioning hum. I got up and showered, allowing myself time to enjoy the sharp needles of water against my skin. I dressed in navy blue shorts; red tank top, navy socks and black Nikes with a blue swoosh. I didn’t even put on my gun. See, relaxed.  
We did nothing all day. Not literally nothing, but nothing spectacular. Galen made me fresh coffee when I came down. He said he’d been practising in the hope I’d come and stay. It was great, but I always say that. The seven of us went for a walk through the grounds of the estate and I even got to meet the great movie star Maeve Reed. She was tall and beautiful and she even looked slender considering she was six months pregnant. She invited us to a midsummer party she was throwing the day after tomorrow. Merry tactfully didn’t accept or decline. I must learn tact myself sometime.  
By the time we got back to the house the sun was high in the sky. My clothes stuck to the fine sheen of sweat covering my skin. I felt distinctly uncomfortable so I went by Merry's example and got changed into my summer dress. It did what I’d hoped it would. I was cooler. Unfortunately it was also not very me. It fell to just above the knee; a slight flare from the waist meaning it didn’t stick to my legs, more flowed around them. It was several shades of blue, mainly aqua and turquoise, blended together making it hard to distinguish where one colour ended and the next begun. A low round neck and spaghetti straps finished it off. That was the bit I didn’t like. I couldn’t wear a bra with it and with the flimsy material I felt naked. I checked in the mirror and made sure I didn’t look obscene. I didn’t. I looked petite and feminine. Damn. I toyed with the idea of getting changed but one look at my sweaty shorts changed my mind. I clipped the front of my hair away from my face and, slipping on a pair of sandals went back downstairs. The other thing I hadn’t considered was the guards’ reaction. As I walked through the hall Sage flew towards me. He flew around me from my ankles to my face and stopped to look at me. I felt like I’d just been examined.  
“Are you sure you don’t have any fey in you?” He asked, his small fey features creased in a frown.  
“I’m sure.”  
“Would you like some?” He chuckled and flew off before I had a chance to swat him. I was scowling as I walked through the living room towards the patio. Doyle was there looking through some magazines. I felt his eyes on me and I stopped at the door, turning to him.  
“What?!”  
“Nothing.” He shrugged, his face blank.  
I marched out the door. When my eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight I turned towards the table and chairs to find Galen, Rhys and Nicca staring at me open mouthed. Merry and Frost were nowhere to be seen but I heard noises from the kitchen.  
“What’s everyone staring at?” I demanded although I thought I already knew.  
“Sorry.” Said Galen, shaking his head, “It’s just that you look…” He groped for the word. I think he was worried he might upset me. You know, say I look nice and imply I don’t usually. I’m use to that though.  
“You look beautiful instead of just lovely.” Said Rhys, his one blue eye sparkling.  
“Shameless flatterer.” I said but I failed to keep the smile from my face. Deep down I was pleased. I mean everyone loves a compliment, right?  
I sat down next to Galen, opposite Rhys. He was still looking at me, a small smile playing on his lips. I stared back, mirroring his expression until he looked away.  
“Who wants to play a game?” Asked Galen, nervously.  
We played a board game where you split into pairs and you take it in turns to describe as many words as possible. Galen and I teamed up, Rhys and Nicca, Frost and Merry, Doyle and Sage. Kitto stayed indoors. He didn’t seem to like sunlight too much.  
Galen and I made a good team and we had a lot of fun. And when Doyle and Sage started arguing we all laughed. Heaven help me, I was enjoying myself.  
We played all afternoon until the phone rang at half past six. Nicca went and answered it, then called Merry in to take the call. She came back out a few minutes later frowning.  
“Something wrong?” Frost asked.  
“That was Jeremy. He’s got a couple of clients he needs me to see tonight.”  
“You’re supposed to be on vacation.”  
“I know, but he said it’s the kind of thing that needs my expertise.”  
“What time?” He was frowning now.  
“Eight and nine.”  
“I thought I was the only one who had appointments at funny hours.” I said.  
“This is some real unusual hours for me. But Jeremy said it was urgent.” A smile crept across her face. “Why don’t you come with me, Anita? I can show you a few places along the way, maybe stop off for a drink on the way back.”  
I nodded, “Sure, okay.”  
“Meredith…” It was Doyle.  
“And of course we’ll take a couple of guards.” She said it nonchalantly as though not prompted. “Wouldn’t do to be without the muscle, would it?”  
I wanted to laugh, we’d both proved ourselves in battle but I thought I heard a touch of bitterness in her voice. Best leave it alone.  
A short time later I found myself in the back of Merry's car with Rhys. Merry was driving with Frost beside her. I had guessed it was Frost’s “turn” that night and they were making the most of their time. That didn’t explain her choice of Rhys though. She knew we had a rather uncomfortable history together. Still I had no cause for complaint. So far the worse he’d done was compliment me. He seemed more serious than the last time we’d met. I wasn’t sure I trusted it any more than I trusted him at his most flirtatious. I made a mental note to ask Merry about it later.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plot! Actual plot!
> 
> Here the start of the plot proper begins. Merry meets her clients, and one of them puts Anita on edge.

Merry's office was high up in a glass block. I was introduced to her boss, Jeremy Grey, the most well dressed Trow I’d ever seen. Mind you I’d only met a couple before so I had no way of telling which was average and which was unusual.   
I sat in the waiting room by the darkened reception desk as Merry, Frost and Rhys met with Jeremy to discuss the two cases. Shortly Jeremy came and stood in the reception area, awaiting the first client. I heard the ping of the elevator and a man came through the doors. He was tall and handsome, blonde hair falling softly to just below his ears. A light beige suit encompassed his lightly muscled six-foot frame and he looked cool despite the summer heat. He carried a briefcase in his left hand and held out his right to Jeremy. They shook and Jeremy led him down the corridor to Merry's office.   
I thumbed through the magazines and finally stopped on an article about fey relations and extradition rights. I was on the last paragraph with I heard the elevator ping again. I checked my watch and saw it was 8.45. Must be Merry's nine o’clock, nice and early.   
I felt him before he opened the door. A vampire. He was a master, almost four hundred years old. We watched each other as he came through the doors and took up a seat opposite me. We stared at each other for some time. He was wearing a grey designer suit with a lime green shirt and matching tie with geometric designs. His hair was a mousy brown that was slicked back and gelled in place to a ponytail that hung over his shoulder to a pool on the floor. His face was chiselled with high cheekbones and strong jaw. He was also Sidhe. Or used to be. His face twitched into a smile and he said; “I’m sorry. Pardon me for staring.” His voice was soft with a hint of an accent. “But you are a human servant.”  
I nodded once, slowly.  
“But your master is not here, or anywhere nearby.”  
I just stared at him, my face carefully blank.  
“Who is your master?”  
“No one you’d know.” I said.  
He laughed softly. “I’m sorry, I mean you no harm. My name is Kendrick.” He offered me his hand. I paused for a moment but felt no magic from him. I leant forward and shook his hand. It felt warm and human.  
“Anita.” I said.  
“Do you have an appointment too?” He asked.  
“No, my friend works here. I’m waiting for her to finish.”  
“Ms Gentry?”  
I nodded. His eyes glanced over my scars and came to a stop at my collarbone.  
“I hope your master did not inflict those on you.”  
I shook my head. “I killed the vamp that did them.” I was starting to feel desperately unarmed. He’d done nothing to threaten me but I still felt uneasy. A vampire is a vampire is a vampire, after all, no matter what flavour. I still felt uneasy. He looked surprised at my admission though. It’s nice to surprise a four hundred year old vamp. It puts them off guard and does wonders for a girls ego.  
“My, my. Aggressive little thing, aren’t you?”  
I hated being reminded of my size. I actually liked being small but didn’t like being judged by it. “I have to be in my line of work.”  
“And that is?”  
I thought for a moment and wondered if I might be able to surprise him again. Maybe, it was worth a try. If only to wipe the smirk off his face.  
“I’m an animator. I’m also the licensed vampire executioner for Missouri.”  
His smile faltered slightly, then he spoke; “So you know St Louis? Did you know Nikolaos?”  
“Was she a friend of yours?” I asked.  
He laughed again. “Hardly. We had a run in once.”  
“I killed her.”  
He stared at me. “I believe you did.”  
I heard a door open down the corridor and heard Merry saying goodbye. Jeremy came down the corridor with the first client. He saw him off then came back to us. Before he could speak I was on my feet.  
“Mr Grey, could I have a word with you?”  
“Certainly, let me just…”  
“No. Now.”  
He nodded, frowning at me. He led me to another office but didn’t turn on the lights.  
“What’s wrong, Ms Blake?”  
“Does Merry know her next client is a vampire?”   
He blinked and stared at me. “He is?”  
“Yes.” I said. “You’d better tell her before he goes in there. Or I will.”  
He thought for a moment, rubbing his chin. “Meredith said you’re a vampire expert, Ms Blake. Would you consider sitting in on this?”  
“Sure.” I nodded. We went back out to the waiting area.  
“We won’t keep you a moment, Mr Kendrick.” Jeremy explained as we went by. I could feel Kendrick’s eyes on me as I walked away from him. It made me itch between my shoulder blades.  
Merry's office was in the middle of the building giving just one solid wall of windows behind her. I would have preferred no windows, or at least a smaller one. Or I’d have moved my desk so I could see the window and the door. The desk and furniture were beech and the chairs a deep blue, as was the carpet. Rhys stood by the door facing the desk. Frost stood behind Merry's chair to one side. I felt their confused gazes on me as we entered the office.  
“Anita? What’s going on?”  
“Your next client is a vamp.” I said and her face slipped. Frost seemed to anger slightly. I knew he had no love for vamps. Particularly after one bit Merry.  
“I want Ms Blake to sit in with you.” Said Jeremy.  
“I’ll agree with that.” Said Rhys. “If this vamp tries anything, she’ll know.” He stepped forward and placed a hand on my shoulder showing his support. All I could feel was the tingle where his bare flesh touched mine. Oh hell, I was falling into the Rhys trap again.  
“I’ve spoken to him and he knows what I am. My being here should put him off trying anything, if he believed me.”  
“Our hero.” Said Rhys, moving up beside me so his arm was around both my shoulders. He didn’t move his hand and I didn’t step away. Why not? I don’t know. Okay, I thought I did but didn’t want to admit it.  
Merry nodded. “Alright, show him through, Jeremy.”  
Frost suggested I take up a post behind Merry on the opposite side to him. Rhys went back to stand by the door but I could still feel where his hand had touched me. Shortly the door opened and Kendrick entered. Jeremy shut the door and left us alone with the Sidhe vamp. Rhys took in a sharp breath and I felt Frost tingle with magic.  
“Kendrick.” He said, his voice filled with surprise.  
“Hello, Frost, Rhys. It’s been a long time.” He bowed low. “Your highness.”  
Merry nodded to him and motioned for him to sit. He glanced at me then back to Merry.  
“If Anita is here for your protection, I assure you I mean you no harm, princess.”  
“All the same,” Merry replied, “Anita is staying. How can I help you, Mr Kendrick?”  
“Please, its just Kendrick.”  
Rhys was staring at the back of the vamp and even from this distance I could see the blue of his eye swirling. I wondered if Frost’s grey eyes were doing the same but I didn’t want to take my eyes off Kendrick to find out.  
“I was once one of your aunts Ravens.” He paused for dramatic effect, but no one gasped and no one fainted, so he continued. “I left on an errand for her a little under four hundred years ago when I was taken by a group of vampires and turned. I did not know how the rest of the Unseelie would judge me so I never returned. But now I would like your help in doing so.”  
“Why not just petition my aunt yourself, Kendrick?”  
He leant back in his chair and smiled. “I have got used to being one of the more powerful beings, your highness. I would not want to return to the courts as a Raven. I wish to become one of your consorts. To have the chance to rule the Unseelie beside you.” That made everyone gasp.   
Frost stepped forward; “You have a nerve.” His voice spat with anger.  
“Calm yourself, Killing Frost. I will not force the issue. It is Princess Meredith’s decision.” He turned back to her. She was sitting with her mouth open. I had the urge to shut it for her. She shook her head.  
“Kendrick, what do you believe you can offer to kingship that my other guards cannot?”  
I didn’t believe I was hearing this. Was she actually considering it?  
“Power, your majesty. With Sidhe and vampire magic combined I am almost indestructible. No one would dare stand against you.”  
“I can help you get back into the courts, Kendrick, but I will not take you as a consort. That is my offer.”  
He blinked for a moment and stared at Merry. I felt his magic crawling through the air and up my skin like insects. He was going to try a mind trick on her.  
“Not so fast.” I said, pulling my cross out into the open. It started to glow blue and he shielded his eyes from it. “No mind tricks, elf-boy.”  
“I apologise.” He said, “It is a most generous offer. If you could please put the cross away, Anita. I promise. No more tricks.” I did and he glared at me. I glared right back. His gaze softened and turned back to Merry. I’d like to think it was my withering stare. Yeah, right.  
“I accept your offer most gratefully.” He bowed slightly. A business card appeared in his hand, so fast I hadn’t seen him move or felt him cloud my mind. Shit. He held the card out to Merry and she took it.  
“I can be reached at this address or phone number. Thank you for your time.” He stood and left, humanly slow. Sorry, I mean Sidhe slow. He glanced back at me once as he left. I kept my face blank.   
Merry sighed with relief as the door shut. “What was that about?”  
“Kendrick was your aunt’s consort. He always had high aspirations.” Rhys said, stepping up to the desk. I moved round beside him. I wanted to see Merry when I spoke to her. Yeah, that was it.  
“He was trying to mind trick you.” I said. “How far would he go to get what he wants?”  
“He always followed our laws.” Frost said. “He just knew how to work them to get his own way.”  
“It’s lucky you were here.” Said Merry, shaking her head. “Otherwise I might have been taking him home.”  
“Told you she was our hero.” Rhys grinned at me and put his arm around me again, squeezing me to him.  
“Well, someone has to be.” I said sarcastically. He ignored me. Dammit. “Now what?”  
“Now we go enjoy ourselves.” Said Merry standing.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a walk on the beach...yeah, right!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just nearly gave myself a heart attack! Seems I mis-numbered my chapters in my original copy and I thought I had lost one! Phew!
> 
> Many thanks to all who have read so far and for the kudos! You all have no idea how much this means!

We went to a bar near the beach. Frost and Merry spoke in hushed voices and touched each other constantly, just a brush of fingertips on the knee or arm but I thought I’d better get them home soon. Rhys and I made small talk, discussed mundane things like work, the weather. Nice, neutral subjects. We left the bar after two drinks. Merry stopped outside and looked up and down the deserted shoreline.  
“Let’s walk along the beach.” She said, taking off her shoes and going onto the sand. We followed. Both the men were wearing sneakers, but I had on sandals too. As soon as I got on the beach I got sand in them. Merry was by the water, dipping her toes. Frost was walking towards her leaving Rhys and I together. I balanced on one leg and tried to take off my sandal but I lost my balance falling into Rhys. He caught me around the waist and held me as I put my foot back down. ”Guess I should have done this on the concrete.” I looked up and found his face inches from mine. I could feel his firm abs pressed against me and his warm hands at my waist. I swallowed. Boy, this dress was flimsy.  
“Guess you should have.” His breath was warm on my face. I felt myself break out in goosebumps. “Let me help.” He went down on one knee and I rested my hands on his shoulders. He took off my shoes for me then looked up at me, the moonlight glinting in his eye.  
“Anything else I can do, while I’m on my knees?” His voice wasn’t playful, his expression serious.  
I swallowed again. “I’ll let you know if I think of anything.” I said softly and walked away leaving him on his knees with my shoes. I heard him run up beside me.  
“I wanted to ask you, what went wrong when you rose Essus? Why did you raise the other zombies and why couldn’t you control them?”  
“Raising the other zombies was an accident.” I sighed. “When Edward killed the girl I had a human sacrifice and more power than I knew what to do with. I still don’t know why I couldn’t control them though. I think Essus just outranked me power wise. I don’t really understand fey magic.”  
He nodded. “I tried to help you.” I looked at him, frowning slightly. “One of my powers is to control armies of the dead.” He explained. “It didn’t work when I tried either.”  
“Thanks, I guess.” I said. “Maybe we should have tried together.”  
“Joined powers?”  
“Yeah.”  
“I never thought I’d hear you say that.” He smiled slightly.  
“Yeah, well, just this once.”  
We’d reached the water and Frost and Merry were a little further along, walking hand in hand. Rhys and I turned and walked behind them.  
“Galen told me you broke up with Richard.” I looked out to sea quietly, not liking the topic change. “It wasn’t because of…”  
“No.” I stopped and turned to look at him. “It wasn’t because of what we did. Or nearly did. It was because of something I did.”  
“Oh.” We started walking again. Merry had kicked water at Frost and was running up the shoreline away from him giggling. Yeah, giggling, love will make you do that. Rhys and I looked at each other then set off at a run towards Frost. He was slowly jogging up the beach towards Merry. We caught him easily and we all started towards her. Suddenly it was like we’d all run into an invisible barrier. We’d been so distracted we hadn’t felt the spell in the air.  
“What the hell…” We started feeling our way around hoping to find an edge but there was none. Frost lifted me so I could see if there was a top and there was. We were in a perfect dome.  
“Merry!” Frost called and she turned to look at us. A black shape knocked her to the ground.   
“Shit!” I shouted, “Vamps!”   
Frost began beating on the invisible wall with his sword, Rhys trying brute force. I dropped to my knees and started digging. As I’d hoped, the barrier ended at the sand.  
“Rhys, help me!” I called and he rushed to my side, we dug until there was a gap large enough for me to crawl through. Frost was helping now and as I slithered through they kept digging. I ran as fast as I could towards Merry, pulling my cross free as I went. It glowed brighter the closer I got. I dove on the vamp that had Merry pinned to the ground knocking it sideways and rolling with it. I pushed my cross into its face and we both screamed as the blue flames coiled around its face and my hand. I yanked it so the chain broke and using it as momentum pushed the vamp off me. I left the cross on its chest burning like a beacon in the darkness and rushed to Merry's side. She was sitting up and looked unhurt if a little dazed.  
“Are you…” I found myself airborne suddenly and landed in the water with a splash. I surfaced to find I was waist deep and a blonde, female vamp was laughing in my face. I caught sight of another vamp near Merry but saw Frost and Rhys heading towards her, now free of the barrier. I tried to back-pedal away from the vamp but she grabbed me by the shoulders and pushed me underwater. I managed to take a breath as I was submerged and I fought against her inhuman strength, hoping to somehow get the better of her, my limbs lashing out at her as panic gripped me. My claustrophobia rooted from a scuba accident and this was too close, literally, for comfort.   
I was weaponless and being drowned by a vamp. Not somehow I imagined myself going out but as white sparks began to dance in my vision and my lungs begun screaming for air it was my only thought.   
I felt a sharp pain above my left breast and I lost some of my remaining air in shock. The bitch had bitten me while trying to drown me!  
The water around me clouded and I thought for a moment I was about to black out but it was a combination of the water changing colour and my vision was starting to blur. Just when I felt my bodies urge to breathe try and take over, my eyesight tunnelling, the pressure from my shoulders went and strong hands grabbed me around the waist, hauling me to the surface. I gasped the air and punched out as hard as I could, connecting hard with what I thought was a jaw. I fell forward on my own momentum against the other figure and I found myself submerged again, struggling for the surface. The hands found me again and we rolled in the water, bodies locked together. I was held against them from behind and I struggled as hard as I could. Suddenly we were out of the water again and I gulped in air as I tried to kick, the water slowing them to mere nudges.  
“Anita, it’s me!” Came a voice near my ear, “It’s Rhys, it’s okay!” I stopped kicking and noticed his white hair swirling in the water around me. I relaxed against him and sighed. Big mistake. I started to cough and he held me close as they wracked my body. He crouched in the water slightly and turned me so I was sitting sideways on his knee. He rubbed my back with one hand and held me around the waist with the other.  
“It’s okay. You’ll be alright.” He was saying, his voice soothing me as the coughs became less frequent and eventually stopped. I sagged against his chest and he held me to him.  
“I thought I was going to lose you there for a minute.” His voice sounded deep with emotion. He was worried.  
“Merry…” I said.  
“It’s okay, Frost went to her rescue. I came to you. Can you stand?”  
“I think so.” He lifted me carefully off him and stood beside me, an arm still around my waist. My legs shook a little, nearly blacking out will do that to you; your whole body wants to shut down, my vision still a little swimmy, but my legs didn’t give out and I started to see clearly again. Rhys moved his arm and held my hand instead and we walked back towards the shore. I stumbled in the shallows and fell on all fours. I had no sooner landed than found myself scooped up in Rhys’ arms.  
“I can walk, I’m fine.” I said.  
“Just let me do this for you, okay? I promise not to think any less of you.” I didn’t argue but frowned all the same. I looked around to see Frost and Merry standing on the beach waiting for us, a decapitated vamp at their feet, the vamp I’d set alight with my cross was nowhere in sight.  
“Everyone okay?” Asked Frost.  
“We’re fine.” I said.  
“No, we’re not.” Said Rhys. “Anita was nearly drowned.”  
“Yeah, but I’m fine now.”  
“And you’re not walking because…” Merry asked.  
“Because she collapsed in the surf.”  
“Put me down now, please.” I managed to keep my voice polite. My legs were returning to normal and they only shook a little but they kept me upright. Yay legs! A cool breeze blew across the beach and I shivered. I looked down to find my dress was plastered to me leaving nothing to the imagination. I folded my arms across my chest and scowled. I glanced at Rhys and found his shorts and t-shirt sticking to him too. I looked away quickly. At least my outfit wasn’t completely see-through.  
“Can we go now?” I asked. I walked back towards where we’d dumped my shoes. The barrier was now gone and I picked them up and headed back to the car, the others in tow.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys finds another good excuse to touch Anita, and some other stuff happens!

I sat in the back of the car shivering despite the heat. i hoped it was from being wet rather than being in shock. Rhys held out his arm. “We should conserve body heat. It’s not fair to ask Merry and Frost to suffer having the heat on when we’re the cold ones.” I frowned at him but found no sly smile on his lips, just concern. I slid across the seat towards him and he put an arm around me. I rested my head on his chest and realised he was right. It was warmer.  
“What happened to your hand?” I glanced at the red burn covering my palm where a perfect cross was showing.  
“It’s where I shoved my cross into the first vamps face.” It stung like hell but it wasn’t too bad, hardly a scratch, just superficial. I wasn’t sure if it would scar or not. Probably, knowing my luck.  
“And I wasn’t staring, but what happened to your chest?” I looked down and saw a line of blood trickling down my front.  
“Shit. I forgot. That bitch bit me.”  
“You were bitten?” Frost turned in his seat to look at me.  
“Yeah. Where can we get some holy water this time of night?”  
We drove around until we found a church that was open. I went inside alone and looked around. A priest stood at the altar lighting candles. I walked barefooted towards him. He turned as I approached.  
“My goodness child, even on a warm night like tonight you’ll catch your death.” He started towards me.  
“Father. I need some holy water.”  
He was taken a back for a moment. “Why on earth do you need holy water?”  
“I was attacked by vampires tonight. I need to cleanse the wound.”  
He glanced at my chest wound and back at my face. “Of course, I will get you some immediately. How much will you need?”  
“About a litre should do it.” He stared at me for a moment.  
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”  
I nodded. Once again my looks deceiving people. “I’m an expert on the preternatural.” I held my scarred arm out into the light. “Trust me I’ve done this before.”  
“Alright.” He left and I sat in one of the pews. I bowed my head and said a silent prayer. I suddenly realised I had left my cross at the beach. I wanted to curse but even I knew better than to do that in church. The priest came back with a coke bottle full of water. I smiled at him.  
“Thank you. Could I ask you one last favour?”  
“Anything.”  
“If I come back tomorrow with a couple of crosses will you bless them for me? I lost mine in the attack.”  
“Of course. Come anytime.”  
“Thank you.” I left with my bottle. I knew I wouldn’t need this much but hey, best to be prepared, right?  
I got back in the car and put the bottle on the floor between my feet. They were all staring at me.  
“What?” I asked.  
“Isn’t that a hell of a lot of holy water?” Asked Rhys.  
“I’ll split it into smaller bottles so it’s easier to carry. I’m not going without it now.” My vacation bubble had burst. Even right out on the west coast I run into vamps. Maybe I just tasted good…Nah.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to get that wound cleansed!
> 
> Contains some very fruity language!

As soon as we got back to the house I went and found Galen. He was sitting in the lounge channel hopping. He looked up as we went in. ”What the hell happened to you two?”  
“Vamps.” I said simply. I grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. “Come on, you’re going to help me cleanse my wound.”  
Rhys looked a little hurt as I marched past him dragging Galen behind me but I trusted Galen not to get any ideas if I sat there in my underwear. I didn’t trust Rhys with me half naked. Hell, I didn’t trust myself with Rhys if I was half naked. Merry and Frost followed us up to the second floor.  
“We’ll be here if you need us.” Merry said.  
I nodded and went into the bathroom, taking a bra with me and my charm bracelet with the crosses. I called Galen when I was in my undies. I was sitting on the floor with my back to the wall, the holy water sitting in front of me, a towel draped over my lap. I’d got a small jug brought up and it sat by the bottle.  
“What do you want me to do?” He came and sat before me.  
“I asked you to do this because I trust you the most.” I said. “I know you better than I know anyone else, besides Merry. I’d rather you did this. I need you to pour this on my wound until it’s cleansed. It might take hours but it has to be done now.”  
“Why not just do it over a couple of days like you did with Merry?” He frowned at me.  
“It’s not the way I do things, Galen. I don’t want to run the risk of some master vamp turning up and controlling me. Let’s just get on with it, okay? I will scream and call you names and probably even throw up but I want it cleansed by dawn.”  
He nodded and poured a little into the jug. I braced myself as he moved next to me and I saw him swallow.  
“Just do it, Galen. If I swear at you, it’s nothing personal, okay?”  
“Okay.”  
I did swear at him. About ten minutes into it. I called him a perverse pain loving motherfucker and that was just the start. I don’t think he’d realised how colourful my vocabulary was. I was crying and throwing up for the third time when Galen left the bathroom. He’d been crying too. He hated seeing my pain. Right now I didn’t care how he felt. I felt like a thousand hot pokers were working their way from my breast to my stomach then on to my brain. I heard voices from the bedroom in between retches and eventually Frost came into the bathroom.  
“Returning the favour?” I asked looking at him through teary eyes. We’d argued over the pain I’d caused Merry during her cleansing.  
“Galen cannot continue. You are traumatising him.”  
“I’m traumatising him!” I yelled. “Just finish it, Frost. And try not to enjoy it.”  
An hour later and it was still burning. I’d just called Frost a demon fucking shit eater when I started throwing up again. He stood and left me. I heard them talking again and heard Merry say; “Just do it, Frost.” And he came back in. Thirty minutes later and the pain was dying down. It was just a dull roar now. Frost went to pour another jug but I held up my hand.  
“Wait.” I said. “Get my bracelet.” He got it from the counter and held it out to me. I shook my head. “You do it. If it doesn’t hurt, I’m cleansed.”  
“If it does hurt?”  
I looked up at him, my eyes puffy from crying. “I’ll have a new scar and you keep pouring.”  
He nodded once and held the cross close to my chest. He paused about an inch away and looked into my eyes. I couldn’t wait any more. I grabbed his wrist and thrust his hand against my chest. No burning came. Nothing. It was done. I sobbed with relief. Frost pushed sweat soaked curls from my face.   
“I apologise for yelling at you when you cleansed Merry.”  
I nodded and let him help me to my feet. My legs wouldn’t hold me and I sunk back to the floor weeping. I hated feeling like this, weak and helpless. Frost picked me up as though I weighed nothing and carried me out to the bedroom. Merry and Galen were there. Frost sat me on the bed and Merry held out a towel to me. I gingerly daubed myself dry. I’d need to get changed before I went to sleep. Galen sat beside me and wiped a tear from my cheek.  
“I’m sorry I couldn’t do it.” He pulled me into a tight hug. I hugged him back, grateful for the friendly gesture.  
“I’m sorry I called you names.” I said.  
“They were pretty inventive.” He said and I laughed, one of those sobbing laughs when you’ve cried so much, only laughing will do.   
I sat back from him. “You should have heard what I called Frost.”  
“We did.” Said Merry. “We think the whole house heard.”  
I sat back and smiled apologetically. “Sorry. I’m not good with pain.”  
“You want to sleep now?”  
I nodded. “I think so.” My eyes were stinging and it hurt to keep them open. They all left me in peace, as I got ready for bed. My hair was crispy with salt water and sweat but I couldn’t bear to think about a shower now. It could wait. I’d just pulled my t-shirt over my head when I heard a knock at the door.  
“Come in.”  
It was Rhys. He came and sat on the bed as I walked back towards it.  
“I got you this.” He held out a tube of burn cream. I smiled.  
“Thanks. I’d almost forgotten about my hand.” I fumbled with the lid trying not to use my right palm. He took it off me and opened it for me. He squeezed some onto his fingers and gently rubbed it into my hand. I drew in a sharp intake of breath when he first touched me. It stung but not like the bite mark had.  
“Sorry.” He said. He rubbed in the cream and held my hand long after it had seeped in.  
“Thanks again for saving me tonight, Rhys.” I watched his face carefully. He smiled at me.  
“You’re welcome. I couldn’t let you have all the fun in the water.”  
“It was hardly fun. I was seeing stars by the time you pulled me out.”  
“Hey, if you’d passed out I’d have had to give you mouth to mouth. I figured you’d rather I dived in and saved you.”  
“Thanks again.”  
He kissed the back of my hand and stood up, moving to the door.  
“Goodnight, Anita.”  
“Goodnight, Rhys.” He started to close the door. “Rhys?” He stopped and looked at me. “Mouth to mouth might not have been so bad…if I was unconscious I mean.”   
He grinned at me. “I might hold you to that.” And he closed the door.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after.

I slept long but restlessly. The vamps from the beach were in my dream. I was fighting for breath and I felt hands all over my body, holding me down. Endless sets of teeth seemed to sink into various parts of my body. I screamed and sat up. I found Galen sitting on the bed, a hand on my shoulder.  
“It’s alright, Anita, it’s okay.”  
“What are you…” My breath was coming in short gasps.  
“I heard you screaming, I thought I’d come and investigate. My room's right next to yours.”  
I pulled him toward me and hugged him, glad of the comfort. He rubbed my back and my hair making shushing noises. Eventually I sat back from him. “What time is it?”  
“Half after eight.” He said.  
“I need a coffee.”  
He nodded. “I’ll go grind you some beans.” He got up and left me. I grabbed my deep burgundy robe from behind the door and went downstairs. Surely no one else would be up at this time? Anyway, Galen was only in his shorts. I’d be more covered up than him. I went down the stairs on shaky legs. Kitto was sitting at the breakfast bar eating cereal. He waved at me as I walked in, I waved back. The smell of freshly ground coffee filled the air. I walked over to Galen and breathed in deeply as he transferred the grinds to the coffee maker.  
“Smells fantastic.”  
“Go sit with Kitto, I’ll bring you a mug over.”  
I moved back to the breakfast bar and did my embarrassing hop up onto the stool. I wondered if Kitto had to do the same or if he had a more elegant way of doing it. He held out the cereal box to me.  
“Want sssome?”   
I shook my head. “No, thanks.”  
He shrugged and carried on eating. Galen bought over the sugar and two mugs then got the cream from the fridge. He brought over the full pot of coffee and poured the cups then sat next to me.  
“You told Rhys about me and Richard.” I said.  
“Sorry, wasn’t I supposed to?”  
I shook my head. “It’s okay. I don’t mind him knowing. I just wish I’d known so I didn’t look so surprised when he dropped it into conversation last night.”  
“Sorry.”  
“Stop apologising, okay? Did you tell him about me and Jean Claude?”  
“No.”  
“Why not?”   
“He only asked why Richard wasn’t with you. I figured you’d tell him about Jean Claude.”  
“I didn’t. Not yet.”  
“Are you going to?”  
“If it comes up.” I looked at him out of the corner of my eye; a smile was playing on his lips.  
“You’re enjoying flirting with him, aren’t you?”  
“I’m not flirting, I’m just being myself.” I said. “But the attention isn’t going amiss.”   
Galen laughed. “So if I paid more attention to you could I make you smile like that?”  
“Oh Galen, you already do make me smile like that. But you’ve always treated me more like a little sister than a love interest.” I shook my head. “Anyway, you’re in love with Merry.”  
He wrinkled up his nose. “Am not.”  
“Maybe not in the same way Frost is, but in your own little way you are.”  
“Okay, maybe a bit.”  
“There, that wasn’t so hard was it?”  
“No. But I think Rhys may be a lot in love with you.” I turned to look at him properly.  
“I don’t think so, there's lust between us certainly, but not love.”  
“I wouldn’t be so sure. He begged Merry to let him be the one to make up the foursome for last night. He’s done nothing but talk about you for three months. He’s got it bad.”  
I shook my head; I didn’t believe I was hearing this. “He can’t be in love with me.”  
“He is.” This was from Kitto. “He looks at you like Frost looks at Merry. Only he does it when he thinks no one is looking.”  
I stared at him for a moment. “You’re kidding.”  
He shook his head.  
“Aw crap, I don’t need this.” I dropped my head into my hands.  
“Don’t need what?” Rhys’ voice floated through as he came in the door. He was wearing a tight pair of blue denim shorts and nothing else. His hair hung loose to his waist. He looked irresistible.  
“Twenty questions about last night.” Galen said. “Merry told us about Kendrick, but I wanted Anita’s opinion. She’s the vampire expert after all.”  
“How are you feeling by the way?” He came and stood behind me, a hand on my shoulder, arm draped around me. I could feel his aura brushing mine at this close range.  
“I’m fine.” I said jumping down from the stool. “I have to go get showered.” I grabbed my coffee and left the room as quickly as my tired legs would carry me.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teeny weeny itsy bitsy filler chapter (which means today you get four! Yay!)

Everyone was up by the time I got downstairs again. I’d drenched my one dress so I was back to shorts and a tank top. As long as I stayed in the air-conditioned house I’d be cool.  
“Word about you travels fast.” Said Doyle, as I refilled my coffee cup.  
“What do you mean?”  
“I got a call from one of my contacts at the local police.” Merry said. “They heard this big shot vampire expert is in town and they want our help on a case.”  
“You’re joking?”  
She shook her head. “A body with multiple bites turned up this morning. Our local vampire expert is in hospital apparently. Would you mind taking a look?”   
“Sure, whatever.” I shrugged. “I’d given up on being on vacation after last night. Can I wear my gun?”  
“I shouldn’t think that’ll be a problem.” Merry smiled.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crime scene aka Rhys and Anita seem to like winding up Detective Tate. Also shopping, eating and a bit of a surprise.
> 
> The length of this chapter should make up for the previous one!

Detective Lucy Tate stood in the shade of a tree and waved as we approached. I had a bandage on my right hand and gauze stuck over my bite on my breast. Wouldn’t do to look too injured now, would it? She was taller than me and very blond and pretty. As we neared I realised she was frowning.  
“What’s he doing here?” She pointed at Rhys.  
“Rhys is looking after Anita.” Merry said. “Frost and Doyle are looking after me.”  
“Couldn’t you have picked a different guard?” She asked me.  
“Rhys and Anita have a kind of affinity together. She’ll keep him in check.” I glanced at Merry, and then at Rhys stood beside me, then back at Detective Tate.  
“You had a body for me to look at, detective?”  
She gave me a quick once over, her gaze hovering on my gun and my scars.  
“I assume that’s a licensed weapon.” She had a slight smile on her face. I think she was testing me.  
“Yes. It stops me from getting any more damage.” She blushed slightly as she realised I’d seen her looking.  
“The body’s this way.” Merry followed her with Doyle and Frost at her back. Rhys and I walked together towards the little area of the park cordoned off with yellow police tape.  
“I thought I was the only one who liked to stir things up with Lucy.” Rhys whispered to me.  
“Looks like we have something else in common then, doesn’t it?” We ducked under the tape and I walked towards the sheet covering the body. The smell of death was overwhelming, the summer heat already taking its toll. I could feel bile burning the back of my throat. Lucy Tate stood on one side of me, Rhys on the other. Merry, Frost and Doyle had stayed by the police tape. I wished I was with them.  
“Do you have any gloves and a tape measure?”  
Detective Tate went and got them for me and I went to one knee by the body. The sheet was removed and I stared at the victim. It was a man, early thirties I’d say but it’s so hard to tell these days. He had been handsome in life with beautifully sculptured features. He was human but I wouldn’t have been surprised if he had some fey blood somewhere down the line. His hair was a slightly more orange-red than Merry's but cut short to his head. He was completely naked apart from a pair of boxer shorts. There was a set of bite marks on either side of his neck, one on each wrist and one above his left nipple. I looked down at the gauze on my own chest. Could it have been the same vampire? Like a calling card? I measured all the visible bite marks then moved to his thighs. I pushed them apart and found what I was looking for. A perfect set of bite marks in his femoral artery. I measured them and shook my head.  
Rhys crouched beside me and whispered; “I’m trying to think of a joke involving you and a tape measure between my thighs, but I can’t think of one.” I turned and looked into his eye. A small smile lit up his face. I smiled back then composed myself again. This was a murder scene; I wasn’t supposed to be having fun.  
“Six different vamps.” I said, standing.  
“Six?” Detective Tate asked.  
“Six different sized bite marks.”  
“Have you ever heard of vampires who work in groups before?”  
I nodded taking off my gloves. “Rarely. It’s usually one master vamp and his cronies.”  
“Is there anything you can suggest?”  
“Do you have a vault for vampire victims?” She nodded. “Then keep him there for three nights. If he doesn’t rise as a vampire on the third night have an animator raise him and ask for descriptions, numbers. He might not be able to tell you much, but it’s a start. And take it to the master of the city, make them aware of what's happening too.”  
“Thanks for your help, Ms Blake.” I shook her hand and Rhys and I walked back towards Merry and the others.  
“Have you ever personally dealt with a mass murdering gang of vamps?” Rhys asked quietly, his breath rustling my hair he was so close.  
“Yep.”  
“You kill the master?”  
“Bet your sweet ass I did.”  
“So you think my ass is sweet?”  
“Drop it, Rhys.” I smiled at Merry. “We’re done, almost.” I indicated to the tape measure in my hand. “I want to measure my bite to see if it could have been the same vamp. Maybe if it matches we should tell Detective Tate about last night.”  
I sat in the back of the car alone with my tape measure. Merry and the guards stood around the car blocking the windows as I took off my vest and measured. I was expecting Rhys to try and peek but he was the perfect gentleman. It was starting to worry me. The bite measured the same across as the one on the mans chest to the millimetre. I got back out of the car and nodded. They all followed me back to the scene.  
“Detective Tate.” I called as we neared. She came over to us. “I may have another clue. Last night some vamps attacked us. I think they may have been connected to this crime.”  
“What makes you so certain?” She asked.  
“This.” I pulled down my vest far enough to show the pink scars forming on my breast where I had removed the gauze. If I ever wore a low cut top it’d be visible. She sucked in her breath.  
“Can you give us a description?”  
“I could,” Said Rhys, “but I killed the one that bit Anita.” Detective Tate eyed him suspiciously. “It was trying to drown her at the time.”  
“Did you report this to the police?” Merry and I looked at each other.  
“I didn’t, did you Merry?”  
“No, I didn’t think to.”  
“Me neither. I’m sorry Detective Tate, but this is just such a regular occurrence in my life I didn’t think.”  
“Well come down to the station later and we’ll take statements from you all. Who was there?”  
“Frost, Rhys, Anita and myself.” Merry said. Detective Tate looked from Rhys then back to me.  
“Double dating?”  
“Jealous?” Asked Rhys.  
She snorted a laugh. “Hardly. I hope you know what you’re letting yourself in for, Ms Blake. I’ll see you all later.”  
“She’s watching us.” Said Rhys as we walked away.  
“You think she might be jealous?” I asked. I felt a pang of it myself as I thought of Rhys and Lucy.  
“I don’t know. Let’s give her something to look at, at least.” Before I could complain he slung an arm around my shoulder and pulled me in close to him. I put a hand around his waist and let him open the car for me, something I never did. He waved back at Lucy and I saw her spin on her heel and walk away. She either didn’t like him or liked him a lot. He got in the car beside me and Doyle got in the other side. I was sardined between Sidhe. We went back to the house. It was gone one o’clock by the time we arrived. We all sat on the patio eating lunch; sandwiches all round, and then discussed what we were going to do with the rest of the day.  
“Well, we could sit in the hot tub, or go swimming over at Maeve’s.” That was Nicca.  
“I didn’t bring any swim wear.” I said. We all looked at Rhys, waiting for a comment but he didn’t say anything, weird, huh?  
“We have to decide about Maeve’s party tomorrow too.” Said Merry.  
“What kind of party is it?” I asked.  
“Just a midsummer party. She has one every solstice. We missed the Ostara party, for obvious reasons. It’ll just involve a bunch of friends and socialites milling around, drinking and eating and talking about themselves.” I raised an eyebrow at her. “But it’ll be fun, it’ll be something to do as well. Her parties are always well catered and there’s always interesting people there.”  
“Okay, if everyone wants to go, I’ll go too. But I don’t have any going out clothes. I kind of went swimming in my only dress.”  
“So we go shopping this afternoon.”  
“Great.” I said. The enthusiasm failed to reach my voice or face.   
We spent the afternoon in Beverley Hills, walking the shops. My feet were killing me. We looked like a screwed up scene from Pretty Woman. Galen and Doyle were dressed up in suits, Merry in a dress and cardigan, me in shorts and sneakers. I was dragged from shop to shop, trying on dresses, skirts, tops, and shoes. You name it, I tried it on. Merry and I eventually agreed on a dress. She hated the colour, I hated the style. Compromise at its best. It was very short, spaghetti straps again, fitted at the waist and flared to fall about three inches above my knees. If I hadn’t such short legs it wouldn’t have looked so obscene. Or maybe it would have looked worse. The colour was a bright scarlet. I’d need to wear make up with it to stop me looking so pale against the red and my black hair but it’d do for the party. It left my bite visible and showed off all my scars but in this heat I didn’t care if anyone stared. I’d rather they looked at my scars than my legs.   
Merry also held out a couple of casual summer dresses to help me keep cool. I complained I wouldn’t be able to wear my gun so we looked for tops and skirts instead. Not much of an improvement but I could wear my gun at least. I was allowed to pick my own shoes. A pair of red sling backs with two-inch heels to wear for the party. I picked out some sensible sandals; the kind kids wear to the beach, to wear instead of my sneakers around the house. I wouldn’t be able to run in them but at least I’d be cool. I didn’t expect to have to run around the house. I also picked out a respectable black swimsuit.  
We detoured via the police station on the way back and gave our statements. Rhys and Frost had made their statements while we were shopping.  
We got back to the house at seven o’clock. I collapsed on the sofa, my bags left in the hall. “I hate shopping.” I said to Galen.  
“I noticed.” He laughed. “I saw a kid in the shoe store with the same expression on his face. You both looked thoroughly pissed off.”  
“I hate shopping. Why did I go shopping? I could have gone to one store, picked out everything I got today and taken three hours less.”  
“You’re not your typical woman are you?”  
I shook my head. “I hate heels, I don’t often wear make up. My idea of getting dressed up is a clean pair of Nikes. So, not really typical, no.”  
“All the same, you can’t sit there all night.” Said Rhys coming through the door. He was dressed in a white suit looking smarter than I’d ever seen him, with his black shirt he should have looked like a reject from a John Travolta movie, but he pulled it off with a style only the really handsome can manage. “We’re going out for dinner in half an hour.”  
I dragged myself upstairs muttering and put on one of the skirts and a top I’d bought today. A loose floaty black skirt and light cardigan in lilac. The skirt was quite short. I put on a cream short-sleeved blouse and strapped on my holster. I even put on my wrist sheaths and knives. The leather rubbed on my skin in the heat but I felt safer already. A pair of black court shoes finished off the outfit. I plumped my hair to its full curly glory and threw on a little make up, just a touch of eye shadow and a brush of lipstick. I came downstairs my purse slung across me leaving my hands free. I’d put my derringer in it, just in case. I sat on the sofa next to Kitto. He was wearing a shirt and pants. He looked unhappy.  
“Hungry?” I asked him. He nodded. “Looking forward to dinner?”  
“Yesss.” He said. His s’s were dragged out slightly, I hadn’t really noticed before. “Looking forward to going out?”  
He looked at me then with his blue eyes. “No.”  
“Me neither.” I said with a smile. He smiled back. We both slumped back on the sofa feeling over-dressed.  
“I heard that.” Said Rhys. He came in from outside. I put my knees together. My skirt was so short I’d be flashing him if he stood opposite me.  
“Sorry.” I said pulling a face.  
“That’s okay.” He said. He came and sat in the chair next to me. “We could always blow off this big dinner and sneak out to Macdonalds.”  
I sighed and closed my eyes for a moment. “Its tempting, Rhys. But for Merry, I’ll endure a meal at a nice restaurant.”   
“Maybe later in the week?”  
“Maybe.” I said.  
“Told you he loves you.” Whispered Kitto leaning in close to me. I smiled then. Rhys hadn’t heard.  
The restaurant was full. We had a large table of eight. Sage was with us too but he didn’t need a chair. He just sat on the table. The food was excellent. I managed a starter and main course but had to pass on dessert. I didn’t pass on coffee. I had a cup when everyone else had dessert and another when they all had coffee. Everyone had been drinking wine. Not heavily, just a glass or two. Everyone except Kitto and me. He wasn’t keen on the taste, I just didn’t drink. We laughed over the time they had spent in St Louis and everyone rolled around laughing as Merry and I told them about Cel crying for his life. I also finally admitted that Cel had threatened to break me and take me as his lover. Rhys had been furious, right up until the point I told him I’d spat in Cel’s face. Then everyone was laughing again.  
We got two taxis home. I sat in the back of one between Rhys and Galen. Nicca sat in the front. Merry was in the first cab with Frost, Doyle, Sage and Kitto. Kitto seemed to like being close to Merry. We got the cabs to drop us outside the front gate, planning on walking up the drive to the house. As we paid I took a deep breath, throwing up my arms in a stretch and leaning back my head, eyes closed. The gesture was too much for Rhys. He grabbed me from behind and spun me around. I laughed until he put me down, both dizzy. We staggered around with each other for a moment until our balance came back. The cabs drove off and we were stood in the street, laughing. I could have as good a time with good friends without alcohol as most people could when drinking. I got a buzz out of the atmosphere, from the people I was with, not that I did this kind of thing often of course.  
Then the entire night took a downward turn. I heard a thump and Rhys and I turned to see Doyle pinned to the floor by a vamp. Merry screamed as another jumped her, one attacked Galen, one on Nicca, even Kitto. Sage, Rhys, Frost and I were the only ones not under direct attack. I drew my Browning and moved slowly towards the one pinning Merry. Merry was punching it in the face as hard as she could. Its nose was broken but it just laughed at her. It paid me no attention as I approached. I pushed my gun against its temple and pulled the trigger. Grey matter sprayed everywhere. There wasn’t enough left of the brain to make a burrito. I pulled Merry to her feet and pulled the Derringer out of my purse, handing it to her.  
“Silver bullets?” She asked.  
“You betcha.” We moved away from one another. Merry ran to Kitto, I ran to Galen. Sage was batting around the vamps head; it was ignoring him. Galen’s face was contorted in pain. The vamp was squeezing his throat. If I didn’t stop this now, Galen’s windpipe would be crushed.  
“Sage, move!” I yelled and fired point blank into the vamps forehead. The back of his head blew away and I kicked the body to the ground. I offered Galen a hand up and looked around. Rhys and Frost had beheaded two of the vamps, the ones on Nicca and Doyle. Merry was sat on the floor with Kitto, rocking him back and forth. I looked around scanning the street. I didn’t see any more but that didn’t mean they weren’t there.  
“We’d best get inside.” I said. I walked over to Merry and Kitto offering a hand. Merry took it and brought Kitto to his feet beside her. His face was streaked with tears.  
We ran up the drive and into the house. “Why would they attack like that?” Doyle demanded. “There were too many of us to defeat. Why even try?”  
“Pack vampires don’t always think.” I said. “They’re under orders. But it does worry me that they didn’t take out the most dangerous. Frost and Rhys were left standing but they took down Kitto. If they wanted to get all of us, they should have taken out the guards first. Saved Merry, Kitto and me for dessert.”  
“I agree.” Frost said. “It makes no sense.”  
“This has to be more than coincidence.” Said Rhys. “That’s twice now Merry's been attacked and Frost, Anita and I left out of it. They’re definitely after Merry.”  
“Do we have any idea who could be behind this?” Asked Nicca.  
“One.” Said Merry. I knew who she meant.  
“Kendrick.” I said. She nodded. “We have an address for him. We could go pay him a visit tomorrow night.”  
“We have Maeve Reed’s party tomorrow night.” Reminded Galen.  
“Okay, the night after.” I said. “We’ll be safe in the house at night. And during the day we’ll be fine. As long as we stay indoors at Maeve’s party we should be okay.”  
“And then we go and see Kendrick.” Said Frost. At least that was something we all agreed on.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No summary, just, just read it, okay? Okay!

We stayed up until late that night, or rather early the next day, talking and playing card games. I gave up after a while and moved to sit indoors. Rhys came and joined me after a short time.  
“I wondered where you were hiding,” He said, holding out a can of coke to me. I took it and popped the top.  
“Thanks. I just needed a quiet moment.”   
"Your vacation hasn't exactly been a quiet one so far." He said as he sat down beside me. “You know, I've never asked you what you do for fun? Do you ever get time for fun?”  
“Sometimes. I work, I exercise, I date.”  
“You date? Anyone in particular?”  
“Jean Claude.” I said. His smile faded slightly. “I’ve been seeing him for a little while.”  
“Is it serious?”  
“It’s hard to be serious with a dead guy.” I said.  
He laughed nervously. “Where do you go on dates?”  
“We go to the theatre, go for meals.”  
“How does that work?” He pulled a face.  
“I eat and he tastes it through me.”  
“I don’t understand.” He shook his head.  
“Jean Claude gave me three marks. He can taste food through me.”  
“You let him bite you?” He looked horrified.  
“I did it for a greater good.” I kept telling myself that, if did it enough, maybe I’d believe it. “Jean Claude, Richard and I joined powers to save, lots of people. To stop...someone bad.”  
“Oh, okay.” He nodded for a moment and looked away. “Do you like to go to the movies?”  
“I don’t remember the last time I went to a movie.” I said. “I used to watch a lot of musicals on DVD.”  
“I love all the old film noir flicks.” The sparkle was back in his eye.  
“I’ve seen a couple, but not many.”  
“I’ll have to show you my collection some time.” He said.  
“I’d like that.” I said. I wasn’t sure if I would or not but he was being really sweet and I didn’t have the heart to tell him.  
“I was really glad when you called to say you’d like to stay. I didn’t like the way we left things in St Louis.”  
“Neither did I.” I looked down at my hands. He put my can on the table and took my hands in his own.  
“I wouldn’t intentionally hurt you.” He said. “If I had the chance all over I’d explain elf-struck in a second and wouldn’t invoke my full powers. I’d save some back to protect you.” I looked up into his face, serious and lovely, yet full of regret.  
“Thank you.” I said.  
“Who knows what could have happened, where we could have been now.”  
“Yeah. Who knows?”  
“I’d like to think somewhere like this.” He leant in to kiss me, cupped my cheek with his hand, and I let him. He kissed me gently and pulled away. He had a slight smile on his lips. “I’ve wanted to do that since I saw you standing in here a few days ago.”  
“It wasn’t just me?” I admitted sheepishly.  
“Oh no.” He leant in again and kissed me, harder this time. No magic, just his lips against mine.  
“Anita, have you…” Galen stopped what he was saying and Rhys and I broke apart. I felt a blush filling my cheeks and saw Galen stood in the door, his eyes on us.  
“Sorry.” He said and backed quickly out of the room. Rhys and I looked at each other and laughed.  
“I’m really tired.” I said. “I’m going to go to bed, say goodnight to everyone for me, okay?”  
“Okay.” We both stood. “Do I get a goodnight kiss?”  
“I think I can do that.” He took me in his arms and kissed me again. I ran my hands into his hair and he held me close at the base of my spine. We finally parted for air and found my breath coming heavily.  
“Goodnight.” I whispered.  
“Goodnight.” He replied and let me go.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Such a long chapter! So much happening!
> 
> Various people voice their concerns about Anita and Rhys; Maeve Reed's party too.
> 
> ***WARNING***
> 
> This chapter contains SPIKED DRINK, the almost NON-CON and GOOD OLD SMUT SMUTTY SMUT SMUT! You have been warned!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel I ought to apologise for how long this chapter is and how much goes on in it but it all flowed for me so there it is!
> 
> Also, as I said in the beginning of By Ostara Moonlight, I wrote these over ten years ago when I lacked confidence to share it with anyone but my three closest friends so I'm very aware how disappointed I am with this writing, or maybe it is more accurate I should be pleased with how much I have developed! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this extensive chapter!

I woke late the next day. It was gone midday. I dressed in shorts and tank top and went downstairs. Everyone was sitting in the lounge. The weather outside was roasting hot. The coolest place was in the air-conditioning. I asked if anyone wanted coffee and went to make a fresh pot. Rhys offered to help, surprise, surprise. He kissed me solidly once we were alone and I had to force him off me.  
“Hey, I’m supposed to be making coffee.”  
“So put the coffee on and get back over here.” He was grinning at me. It was the happiest I’d seen him since I got here. Maybe he had been moping about me the last three months. I put the coffee on and busied myself getting the tray ready. Just the right amount of cups, sugar, cream, spoons. I stayed out of his reach, watching him out of the corner of my eye. He was watching me intently. Finally he’d had enough. He stepped out quickly and pulled me into him, my back against his stomach. He held me close and kissed butterfly soft kisses down my neck and to my collarbone. He tickled my ribs slightly and I wriggled against him.  
“That tickles. Stop it.” I said.   
He stopped kissing me and whispered in my ear. “Oh it does, does it?” He moved his hands to my waist and started to tickle me.  
“Don’t do it, Rhys.” My voice was no longer playful. “Stop it, NOW!” I pushed away from him and turned to look at him. “When I ask you to stop, I mean it.”  
“Sorry.” He looked hurt. “I thought you were playing.”  
I shook my head. “I don’t like being tickled. It makes me feel…it makes me feel vulnerable.” He nodded and pulled me close to him, one hand round my waist, the other around my shoulders. I sighed against him.  
“We’d better get this coffee through.”  
We sat and drank coffee and then Rhys took me into town. We were very well behaved, considering. I bought five crosses and took them back to the priest from the other night to be blessed.   
When I returned we watched a movie of Rhys’ choice. Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in Dark Passage. I sat on one of the two-seater sofas with Rhys. We managed to keep our hands to ourselves. Lets hear it for self-control! I made a mental note to ask Merry how she felt about it later. Galen kept casting us furtive glancing. I made a note to ask him what was up too.  
When the film finished, Merry stretched. “We’d better get ready to go to Maeve’s. The party started a couple of hours ago.”  
We all stood and made our way to our rooms to get ready. I put on the dress I’d bought and added a little make up. Not too much, but just enough. I clipped the top of my hair up and pulled a few loose curls around my face. I threw on my red sling-backs and I was ready. I went down the stairs and sat in the lounge. I was the first one ready. I sat around for another ten minutes until anyone else came down. Galen was first. He looked stunning in a green shirt and pale grey slacks. It brought out both his skin and his eyes. Not to mention his hair.  
“You look great.” I said standing to meet him.  
He looked me up and down and whistled. “Give me a twirl.” I spun slightly, the hem of the dress lifting a little. I stopped facing him. “You look fantastic.”  
“Thanks.” I decided not to tell him I thought I looked like a slut. We moved to sit back on the sofa.  
“Anita, I really need to talk to you.” He said. I turned to look at him, his green eyebrows knitting together in worry.  
“What’s wrong?”  
“Are you sure you’re doing the right thing, with Rhys, I mean.”  
I looked at him for a moment then sighed. “No, I’m not sure. I’m never sure when it comes to relationships.”  
“Don’t rush into anything then, okay? He’s still one of Queen Andais’ Ravens. If she got wind he was with you as well as or instead of Merry, she could recall him and have him punished.”  
“I don’t want to see Rhys hurt. You know that, Galen.”  
“Then let me take that risk.” Rhys walked up behind us. We looked at him in surprise, having not heard him enter the room. He seemed angry.  
“Rhys, we were just…” Galen started.  
“I heard you.” He spat. “You don’t want Anita to get hurt. I understand that Galen, but don’t try and turn her behind my back.”  
“Rhys, we weren’t…” I tried.  
“And you’re not sure about this, about us? I’ve done nothing but think about you for three months. Yet here you are telling Galen you’re not sure?” He spun on his heel and stormed out on to the patio. I looked at Galen.  
“I’ll speak to him.” He said.  
I shook my head. “Let me go.” I got up and went out after him. He was stood against the fence that ran around the patio, his back to me.  
“Rhys.” I said, gently. He turned to look at me quickly then looked away. I couldn’t be sure but I thought I saw the beginnings of tears in his eye. I moved up behind him and rested a hand on his back.  
“I’m sorry. I don’t have a good history of relationships. I start them all sceptically.”  
“But you’re not sure about us.” He said.  
“I’m never sure. I need to…I can’t explain it. Every relationship I’ve ever felt happy in has ended badly. I need reassurance I think, more than anything else, that and time.”  
He turned his baby blue eye on me; the tears I thought I saw were gone, maybe never there at all.  
“How can I reassure you enough to be sure?”  
“You can’t.” I said. “Just be there.” I stepped closer to him and rested my cheek on his arm. He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close. He planted a kiss on the top of my head.  
“You look sensational in red.” He said eventually.  
“You always look good in white.” I replied. I stepped back from him a little. “We need to talk to Merry about this.”  
He nodded. “I’ll speak to her before we leave.”  
“I think you owe Galen an apology too.”  
“Yeah.” He said. He went back inside and they shook hands and made up. All good friends again.  
When Merry did come down, she looked sensational in a long jade green dress. It was light and flowed around her and I suspected it was silk. She had caught her hair back from her face and looked more regal that I had ever seen her. Everyone was in colours to match their hair, except Merry and me. Her dress matched her eyes. Mine matched nothing except my lipstick. Oh well. Poor country cousin me.  
Rhys asked Merry if he could speak with her in the kitchen. They were out there for ten minutes. I got a little worried and resigned myself to the fact I might be packing later that night. When they did come back into the living room they were all smiles. Rhys came over and took my hand. Merry winked at me. I guess she said it was okay, maybe she was even happy for us.  
We walked to Maeve Reed’s house where the party was already in full swing. We entered via a patio area by the pool. People were in the water both clothed and in swimwear. Rhys held on to my hand as he led me through to the house, following everyone else. Rhys stopped in his tracks in the entrance hall as the rest carried on and stood looking at a young woman. She was staring at us. Her gaze moved from our clasped hands, to Rhys then back to me. She was over six foot in her heels. Her brown hair was cut in a sharp bob that swung as she moved. She was wearing a tight white dress that looked like it had been poured on. It was even shorter than my own. Guess I wasn’t going to be the sluttiest looking person in the place after all.  
“Rhys.” She said, her voice carefully controlled.  
“Hi, Marie.” Rhys replied jovially. “This is Anita, my girlfriend.” I felt a blush seeping up my neck to my cheeks. I hadn’t even considered I was his girlfriend. I held out a hand to her.  
“Pleased to meet you.” I said. She stared at my hand. “Where I come from it’s customary to shake hands, it’s polite.” I said. She shook it, a limp lady shake. I was not impressed.  
“Rhys, I wasn’t expecting you to bring a guest.” She went back to ignoring me; I could smell the green-eyed monster at work. Fine, two could play that game.  
“Maeve invited Anita when they met earlier in the week.”  
“You’re their house guest?” She turned her withering stare on me. I didn’t wither. She wasn’t very good at it.  
“I have that pleasure.” I said, as sweetly as I could manage. Come on, honey, give me a reason to punch you…  
“Maeve didn’t mention she was your guest, Rhys.”  
“She’s everyone’s guest.” He shrugged. “We all met a couple of months ago. She helped us with a case.”  
“We hit it off right away, didn’t we?” I said, squeezing his arm. He looked at me, an amused look on his face. I winked slightly.  
“Oh yeah, remember that night on the couch in the hotel room?”  
I laughed; I made it one of those laughs that turns heads in bars, all sparkle and fun. I felt several gazes turn to us. She was scowling at me openly now. I had no weapons but figured I could take her if it turned ugly later. I kind of hoped it would. The evening was looking up.  
Rhys dragged me through to the lounge where the bar was set up. All the furniture had been moved to the edges of the room and the centre of the floor was filled with happy smiling people.  
“How on earth did you do that?”  
“Do what?” I asked.  
“Laugh so every head turned?”  
“It’s a girl thing.” I said. I hadn't actually realised I was capable of it either.  
“And you thoroughly enjoyed winding up Marie.”  
“Yeah, what’s the story with her?”  
“A quick version, when we came to help Maeve originally she sent Marie to flirt with me.”  
“Did it work?”  
“I only gave her the attention she deserved.” He shrugged. "Which wasn't a lot."  
“I think she was hoping to get some more attention tonight.”  
“She can hope, I suppose.” He said. “But I’m devoting the evening to you.” He kissed me softly.   
We found our way to the bar and Rhys got me an orange juice. He got himself a bottled beer, some foreign brand I’d never heard of. We moved away from the crowded bar and found a quiet corner. I could see Merry and Doyle talking to a couple a few meters away. The other guards had been eaten by the crowd. Perhaps Marie had cornered one of them. I grinned at the thought.  
“What are you smiling at?” He asked.  
“Just happy.” I lied. Well it wasn’t quite a lie, I was happy.  
“Good, I plan on making you a whole lot happier.”  
“Now I’m interested.” I said. “How are you going to do that?”  
“Oh I can think of a few ways.” He grinned.  
We stood and talked for a while about nothing in particular. I told him about the dog raising Bert wanted me to do. He told me about the body-guarding job he’d been on for some starlet. She’d flirted outrageously. In the end he’d been forced to tell her he was celibate. I laughed so hard I almost cried. After an hour or so we both needed fresh drinks. Rhys went and got refills while I listened in to a small group conversing on my left.  
“…And then we’re going to get the creature to say to camera; ‘Seward’s soda’s. I won’t get up for anything else.’” Everyone laughed uproariously.  
“Excuse me,” I asked. “What was that?”  
The man looked at me for a moment then smiled, someone new for him to impress.  
“A commercial I’ve written. We’re going to film a zombie coming out of the ground and get him to say ‘Seward’s soda’s, I won’t get up for anything else.’”  
I shook my head. “Have you consulted with an animator about this?”  
He looked sheepishly at his friends for a moment. “Of course we have consulted with an animator about having a corpse raised.”  
“But have you mentioned how old the corpse or what you want the corpse for? Have you chosen a corpse? Got the next of kin’s permission?”  
He cleared his throat and laughed nervously. “Would an animator need to know that?”  
“I would.” I said. “Anita Blake, Animators Inc. What you’re trying to do is illegal.”  
He stared at me open mouthed. “I’m involved in zombies rights and you can’t raise one just for entertainments purposes unless it is specified in the deceased’s will.”  
“You can’t?” He looked disappointed.  
“No, you can’t.” I shook my head. “And they’re not very intelligent either. Some of them can’t talk let alone remember simple phrases to repeat. Even if they can remember the phrase, what if you don’t get it in one take? It’ll start to rot and fall apart. I suggest you either get yourself an actor who plays a good dead guy or rethink your commercial.”  
“I don’t think I need any advice from you about commercials.” He said snidely.  
“Oh I think you do.” I fixed him with a gaze. “If I see a commercial involving a zombie raising I will…”  
“Sweetheart, what are you up to?” It was Rhys. He forced my orange juice into my hand making me take my finger out of the guys face.  
“Just explaining zombies rights to this gentleman.”  
“Oh, okay. Could I borrow you for just one moment?” He pulled me away by the arm.   
“I could hear you shouting all the way at the bar!” He said.  
“Well the guy was a jerk.” I said. “He wanted a zombie raised just to do a commercial.”  
“Next time could you try and tell him a little quieter?”  
I stared at him for a moment. “I’m very vocal about my beliefs, Rhys. Get used to it or leave me alone.” He seemed surprised. “Don’t try and change me. We’ve been in this relationship five minutes and you already don’t like one of my causes.”  
“It’s not that I don’t like your cause, I think it’s admirable. But you need to learn that there’s a time and place to do that kind of thing. At a big celebrity party isn’t it.”  
I knew he was right but didn’t want to admit it. “I’ve seen zombies forced to be in comedy acts, working in kitchens, even working with pesticides because they won’t be harmed by the fumes. One of the worst cases for treatment was the comedy act. No one should be raised from his or her eternal slumber for entertainments purposes. Even if they thought it was a cool idea when alive.”  
“Okay. I don’t want to fight with you anymore tonight. Two tiffs in one day are enough for now, okay?”  
“Alright.” I said. I downed half my juice. “I won’t shout about causes anymore tonight. Can I talk calmly about them instead?”  
“If you can manage it!” He said. He leant in to kiss me. He had just started caressing my cheek with his hand when someone cleared their throat beside us. We turned to see Nicca with a slight grin on his face.  
“Sorry to tear you two love-birds apart but Merry has someone she’d like for you to meet Rhys. Can I borrow him?”  
I nodded. Rhys stole another quick kiss and left me on my own. I watched him leave the room. I spied a couch with no one sitting on it and took a seat on one side. I drained my glass and put it on the table beside me. I watched the people talking in small groups. I saw Marie over to one side looking at me and I smiled at her. She looked away quickly. Alone at a party with no one I knew in sight. I wished for an attack of some kind so I’d have something to do. Hell, I must have been bored.  
Half an hour later a man came and sat beside me. He had neat blonde hair and perfect white teeth against his Hollywood tan. He was a real pretty boy. He was wearing a white shirt undone halfway and black slacks.  
“I couldn’t help notice you’ve been sat here for some time on your own. I was going to get a drink. Would you like one?”  
I stared at him for a moment. A regular human guy asking me if I wanted a drink? It was a first. “Sure. If you’re going that way.” I said. “I’ll have an orange juice.”  
“Nothing stronger?”  
“Thanks, but I don’t drink.”  
He raised an eyebrow. “Okay then. Orange juice, right?” I nodded once and he left. I scoured the crowd again. Come on, Rhys, where were you? Or Galen, or Merry, or anyone. The man came back with two drinks, champagne for himself and my orange juice. I took it with a quick ‘thanks’ and turned my eyes back on the crowd.  
“My name’s Andy.” He said, extending a hand. “Andy Johnson.”  
“Anita Blake.” I said, shaking his hand.  
“Are you here alone?”   
“No, I’m here with a guy and some friends.”  
“They seem to have deserted you.” He said.  
“They’re around here somewhere.” I replied. “They’re just really popular.”  
“Anyone famous?”  
“Not famous, per se. Just well known.”  
“Are you well known?” He was leaning towards me.  
“I am in certain circles, in my home town.”  
“What kind of circles?”  
“Undead circles.” I said. He glanced at my scars.  
“Looks like you like to live dangerously.”  
“Occupational hazard.” I said. I took a large sip of my drink. It was a little sweeter than the last glass no less juicy though. Maybe a different brand.  
“So do you like taking chances?”  
“Not unnecessarily, no.” I took a good swig of my juice. It was a lot nicer than the last glass. It was going down very easily.  
“And what do you do for a living?”  
I looked him in the eye. “I raise the dead and kill vampires as a side line.”  
His eyebrows arched. “Really?”  
“Really.” I said. I looked down at my glass. It was empty. Wow I must have been thirsty. I turned my gaze back on Andy and found him out of focus. I blinked a few times and shook my head. It didn’t help.  
“Maybe we could go for a walk.” His voice was distant but it sounded like a good idea. He took my arm and helped me stand. My legs felt shaky but I could walk. I blinked some more as we walked, hoping to bring the world back into focus.  
“I know just the thing to make you feel better.” Andy’s voice sounded a long way away, like I was listening to it echo. I really wanted to feel better. I believed everything he said.  
“Just up a few steps.” He said and I raised my foot automatically.  
“What the hell are you doing?” I heard Rhys but couldn’t see him. I wasn’t even sure it was him I’d heard. Andy let my arm go and I fell onto the stairs. I think they were stairs. I turned to sit and saw Rhys and Andy, I think. Rhys was holding Andy by the lapels against the wall. Was there a wall there? I closed my eyes as the room started to spin.  
“What did you do to her?” I heard anger in Rhys’ voice.  
“Nothing!” I heard a thunk and a moan.  
“Don’t lie to me!”  
“Nothing…damaging! Just some muscle relaxants, and vodka.”  
I heard a crash and opened my eyes. There was a white blur in front of me, I thought it was Rhys; I could feel his magic emanating from him. The other blur was on the floor. Andy I guessed.  
“What’s going on?” That sounded like Nicca.  
“This asshole spiked Anita’s drink. Tell Merry I’m taking her home.”  
My arm was suddenly over someone’s shoulders. “Rhys?” I mumbled.  
“It’s me, Anita, it’s okay.” I was standing suddenly and my head spun. My knees sagged and I felt myself lifted off my feet.  
“Get that bastard out of here before I finish him off.” That was definitely Rhys. I guessed he was talking to Nicca about Andy.  
Humid night air hit me like a wall and I guessed Rhys had taken me outside. I closed my eyes again. I thought I was going to black out.  
“Anita, you have to walk, come on, honey, walk for me.” I found my feet on the ground again. I felt like a puppet. I was being guided down a path, I think. I shook my head against the dizziness but stumbled. I didn’t fall; the strong arm around my waist stopped that.  
“Drugged?” I managed.  
“Yeah, Anita. That bastard drugged you.”  
“Be sick.” I said.  
“You’re going to be sick?” He asked.  
I shook my head. “Get me…home. Make my…myself…sick.” I sounded strange, like I’d never heard my own voice before.  
“I’ll get you home, Anita, just walk it for me, okay? Don’t pass out, please don’t pass out.”  
I had no idea how long I walked for, it felt like days. I felt the steps up to the decked patio under my feet.  
“Kitto!” Rhys’ voice was loud I my ear. My head rung with his voice. “Kitto, make some strong coffee, now!” I heard movement and guessed Kitto had gone to make coffee. Coffee. I remembered coffee. I was put on the floor and I risked a glance around. I was in the downstairs bathroom. I pushed up the seat and shoved my fingers down my throat. I felt burning in my throat as the vomit rushed up. I coughed and retched, making myself sick until nothing but water, or at least a clear liquid, came up. I flushed and collapsed onto the tiled floor; it felt nice and cold against my cheek. I wanted to sleep. That was a bad thing.  
I pushed myself up to a sitting position.  
“Rhys.” I called, my throat burning. “Rhys!” He appeared in the doorway. He dropped to his knees beside me.  
“Here, Anita, drink this.” It smelled like coffee. I took a sip and the hot sweet warmth of it ran down my throat. I sighed and sat back.  
“How are you feeling?”  
“Off my head.” I said. “But now I can just about make you out.” I touched his cheek gingerly. “You’re not a white blur anymore.” I tried to smile. My head hurt from all the vomiting. I drank some more coffee. It tasted better every sip.  
“Do you think you think you can move?” Rhys asked.  
“I can try.” Rhys took the coffee from me and passed it back to Kitto, who I realised was standing in the doorway. “Hi, Kitto.” I said.  
“Hi, Anita.”  
Rhys took my hands and pulled me to my feet. I staggered against him but stayed upright. “I’m going to try and get you upstairs, okay?” I nodded. “Kitto, will you bring up the pot of coffee?”  
“Yesss, Rhys.”  
We went up the stairs. It felt like we went up one and down two, it was such hard going. Rhys stopped when we reached the spiral staircase. “We won’t get up there two abreast.” He scooped me into his arms and carried me up them. He put me back down on my feet and we walked slowly to the bedroom. He opened the door and turned on the lights. He propped me on the bed and I fell back to lie down. I held my hands over my eyes.  
“Can we put the lamps on?” I asked. Rhys moved around the room doing so.  
“Talk to me, Anita, you mustn’t lose consciousness.”  
“What should I talk about?”  
“Anything. Tell me a story, anything.”  
I started to tell the fairy story of Little Red Riding Hood. It was the first thing that came to mind. The top light flicked off and I took my hands off my eyes. Rhys came and sat beside me.  
“Can we take my shoes off?”   
He pulled them off one at a time without a word. There was a soft knock at the door.  
“Come in, Kitto.” Said Rhys. I could smell coffee again. “Sit up and drink some more.”  
I sat up and my head spun. “I don’t feel so good.” I felt Rhys’ arm around me, supporting my weight. I took the coffee from him with now shaky hands. I drank it down greedily.  
“It’s okay, Kitto. I’ll take care of her.” I heard the door close again.  
“You finally got me alone in my bedroom, huh?” I murmured.  
He laughed. “You can’t be feeling that bad if you’re still making jokes.”  
“I’ve felt worse and still made jokes.” I drained the cup. “Can I get some more coffee?”  
“We’re going for a walk first.” He helped me to my feet and we wandered around the room. “What happened, Anita?”  
“I was sitting watching everyone and this guy offered to get me a drink. We chatted for a while then you were there.”  
“I shouldn’t have left you alone.” He pulled me close to him and I closed my eyes leaning against him.   
“It’s okay, I’m a big girl. I can usually take care of myself.”  
“Still, it was a strange place. You didn’t know anyone else. It was inconsiderate of me in the least.”  
“It’s not your fault, Rhys. It’s that dick Andy’s fault.” I sighed. “Look at me. Heap big vampire hunter and animator, taken out by…what did he give me?”  
“Muscle relaxants and vodka.”  
“Shit, over kill.”  
“Oh maybe he just wanted you really badly.”  
“As badly as you do?” I realised what I had asked as soon as it left my lips, but it was too late to worry about that now.   
He was quiet for a moment. “No, I don’t think he wanted you that bad.” I looked up at him and found him smiling at me. He leant down to kiss me but I looked away.  
“Don’t.” I said. “At least let me clean my teeth. I’ve been sick, remember?”  
“I’ll help you to the bathroom.” He said.   
The bathroom tiles were cold under my feet. I scrubbed my teeth for a long time, reapplying toothpaste to my brush twice. Rhys sat on the side of the bath watching me. My vision was starting to clear and I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My face was paler than normal, my dark eyes almost black, all dilated pupil. I removed my make up, splashed some water on my face and patted it dry. I took the clip out of my hair and ran my fingers through it. It felt good. I felt a little fuzzy around the edges still but everything was starting to come back into focus. I moved out of the room and Rhys followed. I sat back down on the bed and sighed.  
“I know I can’t sleep yet, but it’s so tempting.”  
“You’re right. You shouldn’t sleep.” He came and sat beside me. “You probably ought to stay up most of the night. At least another couple of hours.”  
“Can we watch TV?”   
He nodded and moved to turn it on. There was a classic movie about to start on one channel, Sabrina. It was a romance so I was happy and it starred Bogart so Rhys was happy. We lay together and watched it. Rhys lay back on the pillows and I rested my head on his shoulder. We both laughed and flinched when William Holden’s character sat on the champagne glasses and sighed when Bogart won over Audrey Hepburn in the end. He kept nudging me throughout to make sure I stayed awake.  
“I can’t believe I’d never seen that one.” Said Rhys as the commercials started.  
“It’s a classic.” I said. “There’s a remake too with Harrison Ford in Bogart’s role. We’ll have to try and see it before I leave.” I regretted it as soon as I said it.  
“I don’t want you to leave.” He said.  
I stayed quiet for a moment. “I have a life in St Louis, Rhys. And Galen was right about what he said earlier too. What would the Queen say if she knew about this?”  
“She’d be pissed.” He said. “But I’d leave the court for you, if you asked.”  
I stared up at him. “You couldn’t do that for me.”  
“I could.”  
“I mean you shouldn’t. Think of what you’d be giving up. My lifetime compared to yours is the blink of an eye. We’d be together for five minutes then I’d die and you’d be alone again.”  
“What if Jean Claude gave you the last mark? You’d be immortal. We could be together forever.”  
“I can’t believe I’m hearing this.” I sat up and stared at him. “I’d be tied to Jean Claude forever. He wouldn’t let me have you as a lover, never mind anything else.”  
“I don’t want to lose you again.”  
“Let’s just enjoy the time we have together, Rhys. See how it goes. If it works out, we’ll make a decision then.”  
He nodded slightly but he didn’t seem happy. He sat up and took me in his arms. We held each other for a few moments then he leant back from me.   
Our faces were centimetres from each other and he closed the gap with a breath, bringing our lips together. He kissed me hungrily as though he’d kiss through me, into me. I returned the kiss and sighed as his tongue slid into my mouth. He held my head between his hands and gently pulled me down on top of him. His hands moved to the zipper on my dress and slid it down effortlessly. His hands brushed my bare back and I shivered against him. He slid the straps off my arms and I moved my hands to the buttons of his shirt. He sat us up again and slid the dress to my waist baring my breasts. I finished undoing his buttons and pushed his shirt over his arms, then ran my hands over his chest and traced soft kisses over the scars there. He sighed shakily and ran his hands over my spine, making me arch against him.   
With one swift movement he spun me onto my back and pulled my dress down my legs and off. He leant back down and kissed me again, I moved my hands to his waist, undoing the catch on his white slacks then the zip. He did a push up above me as I pushed his pants over his hips and forced them down the rest of the way with my foot. He had started to glow slightly as though he was lit from the inside. I had to put down some rules before this went too far.  
“Rhys, wait.” I said.  
“I know.” He traced kissed along my collarbone. “I’ll protect your mind. I won’t hurt you, I promise.” His breath whispered along my skin bringing thoughts of other things. His hand moved to my underwear and he looked down at me. “Think we’ll get interrupted if I try this again?”  
I laughed. “I’m willing to take that risk.” He pulled them off quickly and when no knock came at the door he removed his own skintight pants. He lifted himself on his elbow to look down at me.   
His fingers trailed over my hip and thigh, before dipping inside me, his breath hitching when he found how wet I was and he drew it over me, the eye contact making it so much more intimate. I fought not to close my eyes, to keep that level of intimacy up but when he slid two fingers inside me they fluttered shut as I gasped, my hips raising and he took full advantage of my open mouth, kissing me deeply as he caressed me with both his tongue and fingers. Once he had me whimpering he moved over me and I bent my knee.  
He pushed against me and I opened my legs wider allowing him entry. I gasped as he pushed himself inside me, still tight despite his efforts but not uncomfortably so. I started to cry out but he stopped me with a kiss. He started a slow rhythm and I could feel him growing harder and longer inside me, filling me completely. I felt his magic brushing mine and it made things tighten deep inside me. A bare touch of Rhys and his magic and I was almost at orgasm. I screamed against his mouth as he plunged harder and faster into me. I arched my back and shuddered time after time.   
He turned us so I was on top. I could feel him deeper inside me from this angle, a wonderful mix of pleasure and pain. I rode him, gently at first, enjoying the feel of him inside me, then increased the rhythm. He moved his hips in time with mine I felt the familiar tightening again as his hands trailed over my body, familiarising himself with every curve. I fell against him, shuddering and he turned us again, so he was on top once more.  
I lost all track of how long we were together, intertwined with each other. After many timeless minutes, or hours, I wasn’t sure, I felt my magic flow from me in one quick burst mingling with his then the mixing of powers rushed into us both. He groaned and shuddered against me. I lost sense of my body and there was just our magic, we were no longer creatures of substance, just power. I came back to my body as he collapsed against me. We were both sweating and gasping for breath.  
“What was that?” He asked when he could talk, moving carefully to slide out of me. “It’s normally only like that between two Sidhe.”  
“I don’t know.” I shook my head. “You were protecting my mind, right?”  
He nodded. “I think so. I did what I was supposed to do but your magic kept pushing me away. It fought me off.”  
“That’s what I felt too. My mind protected itself.” I laughed. “I can’t believe you were right all along.”  
“Well, you know…”  
“Don’t you dare try and pretend you knew!” I half-heartedly glared at him. “You’re as surprised as I am.”  
“Pleasantly surprised.”  
“Pleasantly surprised, yeah.”  
He rolled off me and pulled me to lay against him.  
“Am I allowed to go to sleep yet?” Rhys checked the clock and made a low whistle.  
“Yeah, I think you can sleep now.”  
“What time is it?”  
“Five.”  
“In the morning? What time did you bring me home from the party?”  
“Ten.”  
“So what? I spent about an hour throwing up…”  
“Only about forty-five minutes…”  
“Okay, forty-five minutes throwing up, half an hour walking around and cleaning my teeth?” “Yeah, about that.”  
“Then the movie, so what, two hours?” He nodded. “So round it up to four hours…” I did the math. “You mean for three hours…”  
His face turned to one of surprise. “Wow.” He said.  
“Yeah, wow.”  
“I’ve never, well, not for three hours.”  
“Never?”  
“Never.”  
I giggled. Oh hell, I giggled. That was never a good sign. Or it was. Depending on which way you looked at it.  
“What’s so funny?”  
“Nothing, just that stupid giggle you get when you’re really happy.”  
“Are you really happy?”  
I smiled up at him, grinning. Oh crap, now I was grinning too. “What do you think?” I kissed him gently then curled up against him. I fell asleep listening to the beat of his heart.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys tries to convince Anita of how he feels and Merry wants to have speak with Anita on the same topic.

I woke up warm and contended. I sighed and a quiet, deep voice said; “Good morning.” I turned to see Rhys smiling down at me.   
“Morning. Have you been awake long?”  
“About half an hour.”  
“You could have got up, or woken me.”  
“Naw, I was watching you sleep.”  
“That’s extremely corny, you realise that?”  
“Yeah. You do things like that when…” He cleared his throat. “…when you’re in love.”  
I stared at him for a moment, not sure what to say. Eventually I shook my head. “You can’t be in love with me, Rhys. Not yet.”  
“I’ve had three months to fall in love with you. Isn’t that long enough?”  
“You’ve had three months to fall in love with the idea of me. Not me myself.”  
“Are you saying I’m not in love with you?”  
“I’m saying give it a little time. See if you still feel the same.”  
“Okay, I won’t say it again, until Friday.”  
“It’s Wednesday now. I should be going home at the weekend.”  
“Don’t go. Stay with us a little longer. You have two weeks off. Spend them here.”  
I sighed. “I’m not going to win am I?”  
“No.” He seemed pleased with himself. Damn.  
“I’m going for the shower.” I slid out of bed and padded across the soft carpet.  
I was just rinsing the shampoo away when I heard the bathroom door open. Rhys joined me without a word. It was another two hours before we went downstairs.  
It was four in the afternoon and later we would be going to confront Kendrick. I dressed in red shorts and a white tank top, white Nikes with a silver swoosh and white training socks with red trim. Rhys nipped down to his room and slid on his obscenely tight denim cut-off shorts. We walked downstairs together talking quietly. We entered the lounge and found five pairs of eyes on us.  
I smiled sheepishly and leant against the doorframe. “Erm, afternoon everyone.”  
There were murmurs all round. Rhys leant in to me; “You want a coffee?”  
I nodded. He kissed the side of my head and went through to the kitchen. I blushed faintly and looked down, using my hair to cover my face.  
“We were wondering what happened to you last night.” Said Merry. “Nicca said there was some kind of fight and Rhys brought you home.”  
I moved round to sit on the chair arm next to Galen. “Yeah. You could say that.”  
“Rhys didn’t…” This was Galen, he sounded angry.  
“He was a complete gentleman. My hero in fact.” I told them the tale of Andy and his vodka and pills. They sat and listened in shock. I left out the part about Rhys and I and our three hours.  
“Someone spiked your drink.” Merry shook her head. “I’m sorry, Anita. You’re my guest, I shouldn’t have left you alone.”  
“I’ve been over this with Rhys. It’s no one’s fault. I had an entertaining time up until then.”  
Rhys came back in and handed me a cup of coffee. I sipped it and wrinkled my nose. “You forgot the sugar.”  
“Sorry, still learning.” He grinned and left again.  
“Anita, could I talk to you in the dining room?” Merry stood and didn’t wait to see if I was following. I pulled a ‘yikes’ face at the rest of the room and followed her.  
When we were alone she turned to look at me.  
“I’m assuming you and Rhys…”  
“Yeah.” I said. I couldn’t tell if she was pissed because I’d slept with him or at something else.  
“Did he protect your mind this time?”  
Ah, that was the bug she had up her ass. “He did try, yeah.”  
“Trying isn’t good enough.” She paced the floor. “If you go back to St Louis elf-struck…”  
“I won’t. My mind protected itself.” She stared at me and I nodded.  
“Rhys was right?”  
“Yeah, scary huh?”  
She laughed. “That’s all I was worried about.” She hugged me.  
“It’s not all I’m worried about.” She looked at me.  
“What’s worrying you?”  
“Everything. Rhys told me he’s in love with me.”  
“I can’t say I’m surprised.”  
“Yeah, seems everyone knew. Kitto told me.” I ran a hand through my hair. “He doesn’t want me to go back to St Louis.”  
“Oh.”  
“And it’s not just that. What the hell would your aunt say if she found out he was sleeping with me instead of trying to get you pregnant?”  
“She’d probably torture him and kill you.”  
“Exactly. I’m just worried that the cons out weigh the pros on this one.”  
“What do you want to do?”  
I sighed as the gravity of the full situation hit me. A problem shared wasn't always a problem halved. “I don’t know. I just don’t know.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anita meets Queen Andais.

Merry called her aunt on the mirror; that still sounded weird. The largest mirror in the house was in Merry's room. Doyle and Frost knelt at Merry's feet as she sat on the bed. Rhys and I stood at her back. Galen and Nicca stood out of sight of the mirror, there if called but out of the way. The mirror shimmered and a woman appeared. She was slender with delicate features only found in the fey and their descendants. Long black hair surrounded her face; a sheer black top covered her small perfect breasts. Her eyes were shades of grey, colder than Frost’s and they had a cruel lilt to them. I could see the resemblance between her and her son Cel immediately.  
“Meredith.” Her voice was silken. “To what do I owe this honour?”  
“Good afternoon, Aunt. I wish to speak with you about someone who used to be one of your Ravens.”  
This got her attention. Her eyes grew wide for a moment then she frowned. “How very intriguing, Niece. Please go on.”  
“I have been approached by Kendrick.”  
“Kendrick?” She seemed to grow angrier before my eyes. This was one scary bitch. “What does he want?” She spat the ‘he’.  
“He has come to us with an interesting story. It appears that when he went missing he was in fact turned into a vampire and did not return to court for fear of reprisals.”  
“Vampires? Those ghastly creatures that drink blood?” I sniggered and she looked straight at me. “And who is this? I don’t remember giving you a Raveness.” Her voice was slightly sarcastic.  
“This is Anita Blake.”  
“The woman who saved Cel? My, I thought she’d be taller.”  
“It disappoints me too sometimes.” I said, smiling slightly.  
She stared at me for some time. I stared right back. I could see Galen off to one side waving frantically at me. I’d obviously done something wrong but hell, she wasn’t my Queen. Finally she laughed.  
“She is interesting. You must come and visit me when you are in St Louis next, Miss Blake.”  
“It’s Ms, but thanks for the offer, maybe I’ll drop by.”  
“Oh she is precious, isn’t she? I was under the impression you lived in St Louis.”  
“I do.”  
“Then what are you doing in Los Angeles?”  
“She’s my guest, Aunt.” Merry added. Either she didn’t like where the conversation was going or she wanted to get back to the matter at hand.  
“Oh, a guest, how…nice. And what do you find so amusing, Rhys?” I turned to see a grin slip from his face. He dropped to his knee.  
“Nothing, my Queen.”  
And with that one phrase and subservient gesture from Rhys, I hated her.  
“I digress. What of Kendrick? You said he is a vampire now?”  
“Yes.” Merry nodded. “He wishes to come back to the court, but not as a Raven. He has got used to being one of the more powerful beings.” She said the last with a hint of sarcasm.  
“My dear niece, what did he ask exactly?”  
“He asked to become one of my consorts. He wants a bid for the throne.”  
Andais stared at Merry for a moment. “That slimy…” She stopped herself. “I assume you told him no?”  
Merry nodded. “Since I turned him down however there have been two vampire attacks on us. Anita and I were going to confront him.”  
“Anita again? Are you so useful, girl?”  
“I am the licensed vampire executioner for Missouri. I also have a degree in preternatural biology. I’m a monster expert.” I gave her a sideways smile.  
She nodded. “You are intriguing me more and more, Ms Blake. I definitely would like to meet you.” She turned back to Merry. “You may tell Kendrick he can come back to the courts as a Raven or lesser court member. Raven is the highest rank I will allow him to return at. He can take it or leave it.” She looked off to one side and turned back to the mirror. “Is that all, niece? Eamon is waiting for me.”  
“One more thing, aunt. I wonder if you may be able to help me. I have had a man approach me through my company whose father was Unseelie. His father was an ambassador some years ago in New York. His father was killed before he was born and he was raised by his human mother, who was later murdered herself. He’s trying to piece together his past. If I gave you the time his father was stationed in New York, would it be relatively easy to trace who he was?”  
“An illegitimate Unseelie child. Well I suppose we do take in all sorts, don’t we, niece? I will see what I can do.” Merry gave her the date and his name, Simon Hammond. “Now, is that all, Meredith?”  
“That is all. I thank you kindly for your help in this matter, my Queen.”  
“Yes, yes. And you, Ms Blake, I look forward to meeting you on your return to St Louis.” The mirror faded back to show us our reflection.  
“You can get up now, Rhys, she’s gone.” He stood beside me.  
“I can’t believe you spoke like that to her.”  
“Neither can I.” Said Galen.  
“Indeed, you are either very brave or very stupid.” This from Doyle.  
“Either that or she’s not my Queen and I’m not afraid of her.” They all looked at me in astonishment. “Okay, maybe I’m stupid.” I shrugged.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang visit Kendrick and Anita tells Rhys a few home truths.

We went to see Kendrick before the sky even started to turn to dusk. If he were a true master vampire he’d be up already. Unless he was lazy, I guess.   
I sat in the middle of the front seat of the nondescript beat up van belonging to the Grey Detective Agency. Merry was driving and Galen sat the other side of me. In the middle seat sat Frost and Rhys. Rhys had kept playing with my hair and running fingers down my arm making me shiver until Frost had slapped his hand to make him stop. Doyle and Nicca sat quietly in the back.  
Galen and I checked the address again on the card and looked back at the building in front of us. I think I’d been expecting an old house or at least a converted warehouse. Prejudiced little me, huh? The building was in fact a large white apartment block. The number showed it to be the penthouse. A classy vamp. Well he was Sidhe too I guess, and although Jean Claude lived under the circus which was the converted warehouse I had imagined he still had implicit taste.   
We all stood in the entrance porch as Merry pushed the buzzer.  
“Yes?” Kendrick’s voice came over the intercom.  
“Kendrick, it’s Merry Gentry. Can we talk?”  
The door clicked open and we walked through the well-lit lobby to the elevator. It was a tight squeeze to fit us all in but Rhys seemed quite happy to pin me to the wall. I gave him a look. This was not the time or the place for this. He just smiled slightly as he watched the numbers go up, obviously enjoying the position we found ourselves in.  
The doors opened straight into the roomy apartment, sorry, penthouse, which was all red and gold, an interior designers dream. Heavy curtains covered every wall so you couldn’t have told where the windows were. Kendrick was lounging on a red leather sofa wearing just a pair of black leather pants. He looked surprised to see us all.  
“I wasn’t expecting a whole party.” He said. “Although I knew you were here, Anita.” I nodded to him.  
“Kendrick, I believe you know everyone apart from Galen.” Merry said. “I have spoken with my aunt about your returning to court.”  
“And?” He looked at us expectantly.  
“And she says you can come back either as a Raven or a lesser member of the court.”  
His face did not change. “I must consider this carefully.” He said eventually. “Thank you for finding out for me so quickly. I don’t suppose you have reconsidered my other offer?”  
She shook her head. “I’m quite adamant on the subject, Kendrick.”  
“I assure you a vampire can make as excellent a lover as a Sidhe. Why, just ask Anita.” I glared at him and felt Rhys stiffen beside me. “But the choice is yours.” He shrugged.  
“You wouldn’t happen to know anything about a gang of vamps that attacked Merry twice this week would you?” He’d pissed me off now. No more Ms Nice Girl.   
He looked surprised. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He sounded convincing. I wasn’t taken in easily though.  
“I think you do.” I said. “It’s little more than coincidence that Merry gets attacked by vamps the very night she turns you down, don’t you think?”  
“I’ll agree it looks bad but I assure you I had nothing to do with it.”  
“Yeah, well, I don’t believe you.”  
“I could show you it’s the truth.”  
“What?” I didn’t like the sound of that.  
“As Sidhe we are sometimes able to read people by touch alone. My vampirism increased my abilities to enable me to send out my thoughts and past to others. I offer this to you as proof.”  
I frowned for a moment and stepped forward. Rhys grabbed my arm. “Don’t do it, Anita.” I looked back at him and saw fear in his face, fear for me.   
“Would you rather Merry did it?” He let my arm go. “I didn’t think so. Anyway, he can’t roll my mind easily. I’m the logical choice.”  
I moved to stand in front of him. “Please, Anita, sit beside me.” I did so but kept a little space between us. “This may tingle a little.” Tingle? What the fuck did that mean? He turned to me before I could ask and placed a palm on each of my cheeks, his fingers spanning my head. The room faded from around me and I found myself in darkness. Suddenly images begun to flicker through me. I realised I was seeing things from Kendrick’s point of view, it went past as though in fast-forward. I saw myself sitting in the waiting area at Grey Detective Agency. Then it was the meeting with Merry. I closed my eyes against the brightness of my cross as I stopped him before I could, he could mind-trick her. I sensed nothing from him to suggest any malice. He was a solitary creature, no real companions to speak of. He had not spoken to any other vampires in some months. He was lonely and missing the Unseelie courts.   
As quickly as it had started it stopped, I found myself sitting on the sofa with Kendrick’s hands still gently cradling my face. My eyes started to leak. Yeah, that’s right. I wasn’t crying, I was not feeling sorry for the vamp sitting in front of me. But I couldn’t stop them. Tears streamed down my face in hot lines and I stared into Kendrick’s eyes.  
“He’s telling the truth.” I continued to stare at Kendrick.  
“I will see if I can find anything for you, about this gang of vampires.” Kendrick spoke softly.   
I nodded. “Thank you.”  
I got to my feet with Galen’s help, Rhys seemed strangely distant, and we left.   
Once we were in the elevator Doyle spoke. “What do we do now, about the vampire attacks?”  
I leant heavily against the wall of the elevator. I felt drained.  
“I suppose we could always go to the police, or wait for another attack. Try and take one of the vamps alive.” Merry said.  
“If there’s another attack.” Frost said.  
“Oh there’ll be another attack.” I said. “Merry’s still breathing.”  
Silence fell over the elevator as we all thought about what I’d said. It would be safer if we all stayed indoors, but somehow I didn’t think that was going to happen. Maybe we could set a trap of some kind. I’d work out some details then run it past the others. We walked to the van but Rhys stopped me getting in.  
“Merry, Anita and I will meet you back at the house, okay?”  
“Sure, Rhys.” Merry nodded and afforded me a small smile which I returned.   
I watched as they drove off then looked at him expectantly. I wasn’t dressed for a walk in this heat. I had a loose shirt on over my clothes hiding my gun but out in the open, away from any air conditioning I was going to cook.   
Rhys started walking down the driveway towards the sidewalk without a word and I fell into step beside him. He didn’t try and hold my hand so I put them in my pockets. Now he couldn’t get them without asking. I’m not childish, nuh uh.  
We walked for a block until he finally spoke. “What did Kendrick mean about vampires making excellent lovers?”  
“Maybe he was just showing off.” I shrugged.  
“You know what I mean.” I stopped and looked at him. He stopped too and we stood staring at each other on the street corner. We were about to have a major tiff in the middle of LA. Woohoo.  
“You really want to know?” He nodded. I sighed and looked him in the eye. “Ask me why Richard and I broke up.”  
“Why did you and Richard break up?”  
“I slept with Jean Claude.” A look of pain passed over his face and I walked away from him. I didn’t want to do this on the street. I heard him jogging up behind me and he caught my arm, stopping me from going any further.  
“Tell me it didn’t mean anything.” I looked into his eye and felt tears stinging my own.  
“I can’t.” I said.  
“Then tell me it only happened the once.”  
“I don’t want to lie to you, Rhys.” He let my arm go and I walked away from him. I swiped at the tears on my face angrily. What had Kendrick done to make me so emotional?  
“Stop walking away.” He caught me up again. “We need to talk about this.”  
“No, we don’t.” I waved a finger at him angrily. “You just want me to say Jean Claude means nothing to me and that I only slept with him once. I can’t do that, Rhys, because it’s not true. You knew I’d been seeing him. Why all stressed about it now?”  
“Because before I didn’t know you’d slept with him. He’s dead, Anita!”  
“He’s still younger than you. And being a vamp isn’t legally dead anymore.” I couldn’t believe I just said that.  
“And if you go back to St Louis it will be back to his arms.” Ah, there we go. Jealousy.  
“Maybe, I don’t know! You’ve changed everything. I’m not sure of anything anymore.”  
“So don’t go back yet. Stay here until you’re certain. Break up with him.”  
“It’s not that simple. I’m his human servant. He wouldn’t give me up without a fight. He’d kill you.” I didn't say that I thought I was in love with Jean Claude, Rhys was hurt enough for now, but I had such strong feelings for him too, like my emotions where they were both concerned were out of my control.  
“I’m not that easy to kill.” He argued. “Don’t forget I have power over the dead. I might be able to convince him to let you go. And you said yourself you couldn’t see a future with him.”  
“And what kind of future would you offer me, Rhys?”   
“We’d make one, somehow.” I wanted to believe him so badly. As he took me in his arms and kissed me this was all I wanted. Rhys with me forever. How the fuck was I going to explain this to Jean Claude when I couldn't even make sense of it for myself?


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jean Claude calls Anita with a few questions and Anita's services are required once again.

We went to a bar and had some dinner. Burger and fries, the nations favourite. We danced together to the jukebox; some soppy new ballad and I didn’t want to let him go. We stayed at the bar until closing time then walked hand in hand to a busier street to get a cab. My beeper went off and I swore. I checked the number. It was Guilty Pleasures. I looked up at Rhys with a sigh. “It’s Jean Claude. I’ll have to call him when we get back.”  
“I wasn’t planning on taking you back yet.” He had a sparkle in his eye.  
“Then you’d better find me a payphone.”  
We found one that worked a block away and I called Guilty Pleasures.  
“Guilty Pleasures, where your…”  
“Yeah, yeah, I know the spiel. It’s Anita Blake calling for Jean Claude.”  
I was put through immediately.  
“It’s good of you to call, ma petite.” His voice dripped with sarcasm.  
“I’ve been busy relaxing, Jean Claude. What’s up?”  
“I just wanted to make sure you were alright. You have been gone for four days and not a word from you. I was worried.”  
“I’m fine. Everyone’s looking after me, although I have landed myself in the middle of a couple of vamp attacks.”  
“Ma petite, you cannot go anywhere without attracting trouble. What happened?” I gave him a condensed version.  
“As long as everyone is alright.” He went quiet for a moment and I wasn’t sure if he was still on the line. “I had a strange… dream about you this morning, ma petite.”  
“Oh?” I didn’t like where this was going.  
“Yes, I was trying to send you a dream, a very personal dream, but I was pushed away by another’s magic. You wouldn’t happen to understand that would you Anita?”  
“Vaguely.” I said. “But I don’t think it was magic. Someone spiked my drink at a party last night and I was doped up most of the night trying to get the stuff out of my system.”  
“It seemed more magical than…narcotic. Is there anything you would like to confess?” He sounded angry.  
“If you’ve got something to say, Jean Claude, just say it, stop beating around the fucking bush. I don’t have all night.”  
“You have to rush back to Rhys’ arms then?” I froze for a moment. Fuck, he knew. Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck.  
“Anita? Talk to me.” I came back to myself and knew I was in trouble. He’d used my name.  
“I don’t know what to say, Jean Claude.”  
“Say it won’t happen again.”  
“I can’t.” Wow, this was like deja vu.  
“Is he better than me?” He sounded amused.  
“Not better, different. Our powers are very similar. It’s more than just sex.” I glanced at Rhys beside me. His face was a serious mask.  
“I could demand you return home to me. Force the last mark on you.”  
“But you won’t.”  
“No, I won’t.” He sighed. “You need to work this one out on your own, ma petite. It is always possible you are in love with us both, as you were with Richard and I.”  
“I still love Richard too.”  
“You have too much love in your heart, ma amore. Perhaps you are only happy when in love with several men at one time. You will not give your love fully to one individual through fear so you need more than one to use up your…quota, shall we say? Think on that. Je taime, amante de moi.”  
“I love you too, Jean Claude.” He hung up and I was left listening to the dial tone.  
“I didn’t need to hear that.” Said Rhys.  
“You need to hear what he said though.”  
I told him Jean Claude’s parting words as we walked. He shook his head.  
“You think he’s right, don’t you?”  
“Ask Merry to part with all of you except one.” I replied.  
“She’d choose Frost in a second.”  
“She’d choose Frost and resent losing the rest of you. There’s true love and there’s regular love.” I shrugged. “She’d miss Galen, I know that much. Who knows who else she wouldn’t want to part with. Maybe she wouldn’t even let you go.”  
He stopped in his tracks but I kept walking. He caught me up. Again.   
“I don’t think Merry would stop us being together. Not if it was what we really wanted.”  
“But could you share me with Jean Claude?”  
“I share Merry don’t I? I’m good at sharing.” He gave me a half smile. I think he was trying to lighten the mood.  
“You’re not in love with Merry.” I regretted that as soon as I’d said it.  
“So you admit that I’m in love with you?” He was beaming at me; I knew that without even looking at him. I kept uncharacteristically quiet. “Come on,” He encouraged me with a nudge. “Admit it. It won’t be so hard, promise.”  
I could feel a smile quirking on the corners of my mouth. I tried to fight it, I really did. Shit. I smiled. I couldn’t help it.  
“Okay, you think you’re in love with me. Happy?”  
“I know I’m in love with you.”  
“We’re getting away from the point.” I reminded him. “I don’t think Jean Claude will share. Hell, I know he won’t share. He was going to kill Richard when he found out he’d proposed and I’d accepted.”  
“I didn’t know you and Richard were engaged.”  
“For a little while. We still dated but we didn’t want to do anything more serious until I’d seen him change.”  
Rhys nodded as though he understood. I wasn’t sure he did but I didn’t care. He stopped us by the kerb and hailed a cab. We’d got to a street of clubs and bars. The place was full of young friends and couples trawling the bars. I felt uncomfortable for a moment. It seemed like we were the only people not holding hands or touching. Oh to hell with it. I slid my hand into his and gave it a gentle squeeze. He squeezed it back and looked down at me, smiling. I smiled back. A cab pulled up to the kerb and we got in the back. Rhys gave the driver our destination. I didn’t recognise it but then I don’t know LA. I recognised a couple of the streets we drove down  
“Where are we going?” I asked Rhys. He smiled at me.  
“I thought we deserved a second chance at a romantic walk on the beach.” I looked out the window again as we pulled up by the bar we’d stopped at a few nights before. I got out of the cab as Rhys paid and we were stood alone looking out at the ocean. I thought back to the other night. If it hadn’t been for the vamp attack maybe it would have been romantic.  
“Do you want me to take your shoes off for you again.”   
I looked down at my feet. “Nah, I’m wearing Nikes. I can walk on sand in these.”  
We walked along the shore like lovers. I guess we were. I screamed when he threatened to throw me in the water, he didn’t try it again after I threw him over my shoulder onto the sand for doing so. He chased me along the beach for that. Running in sand is a bitch. I was just glad I was in no serious danger. He caught me easily and we kissed under the moonlight. It was nice, romantic. I never got this kind of date with Jean Claude.   
Then the moment was ruined by my beeper going off. I rested my head against Rhys’ chest and sighed, unclipping the beeper from my belt. I looked at the number, I part recognised it. It was here in LA.  
“Is that your home number?” I asked.  
He squinted at the LCD display. “Yeah. Better find a phone.”  
“You weren’t this eager when I needed to find a phone to call Jean Claude.”  
“No, wonder why?”  
We walked up the beach towards the path with arms around each other.  
“I’m having a really good time, Rhys. In case I forget to tell you, I’ve enjoyed myself.”  
“You make it sound like it’s over.” He kept his eyes forward.  
“It almost is.”   
He stayed quiet. I had to make a decision. The only one I could see at the moment was to return to Jean Claude, to my life in St Louis. Every other avenue led to disaster. I hoped a solution would present itself soon.   
I let Rhys call home. It was my beeper but his house after all. I stood at the railing looking out to sea. I could just hear Rhys talking but couldn’t make out the words. I heard him hang up and walk up behind me.  
“Merry and Doyle are driving out to pick us up. Lucy Tate needs you to look at another couple of bodies.”  
“A couple?” I turned to look at him. His eye sparkled in the darkness, reflecting the ocean.  
“Galen wasn’t specific. Just that there were a couple of bodies. Some vacation, huh?”  
“Hey, my life’s always screwed up.” I shrugged. He moved to stand behind me and wrapped his arms around me. I leant into him and enjoyed the feel of him as we waited for our ride.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crime scene. Blood, gore, dead family (warning - including a child), and a whole lot more besides.

I was surprised to see Kitto in the car when Merry pulled up. She said he’d insisted on coming with them. We got the crime scene half an hour later. Yellow police tape cordoned off a house and its gardens in LA suburbia, theusual gawkers watching as we approached. Lucy Tate was standing by a car drinking coffee. Merry waved as we approached and Lucy walked over to meet us.  
“Thanks for coming out again, Ms Blake.”   
“No problem.”   
She glanced from me to Rhys and back again. “You two joined at the hip?”  
I fought to keep the smile off my lips. I just about won. “Rhys and I were out, Merry picked us up and brought us straight here.”  
She nodded once and led the way to the tape. “It’s a family this time but we think it’s related to the first crime. Multiple vampire bites on two of the victims.”  
“How many?”  
“Three.”  
I nodded. We reached the door and Detective Tate turned to us. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to get the rest of you to stay outside. It’s not fey related so it doesn’t concern you.”  
Merry nodded. I went inside with Detective Tate without looking back. “Are we looking at a family?”  
She nodded. “A mother, father and young child.” I swallowed. I hoped it wasn’t bad. She led the way upstairs first into the master bedroom.   
The woman’s body lay on the bed, her pink gingham pyjama top open exposing her breasts. The bottoms were around her ankles. Her eyes stared blankly up into the ceiling. There were obvious marks on her neck and wrists, the right one barely still attached as though all the flesh had been torn apart to increase the blood flow, the only blood visible on the white sheet under the ruined wrist. Maybe it was a trick of the light but her skin seemed to have a slightly pink tinge, like weak cotton candy, her blonde hair the same shade.   
The husband lay near the window, arms and legs spread-eagled. I could see similar marks on him but his wrists were intact. Lucy held me out a pair of gloves and a tape measure. I took them with a strained smile, she’d remembered. I measured the bites on the woman first. There was one on each side of her neck. Even after all these years the neck was a favourite for vamps everywhere. Stereotyping at its best. Her wrists and thigh held the only other wounds. I moved on to the husband. His hair seemed to have a blue sheen to it. So black it was blue, like Jean Claude’s eyes. His wounds mirrored his wife. I came away with eight different size bites. Shit. That was a bigger gang than I’d ever come across before.  
“Where’s the third body?”  
“Next door.” She led the way to a child’s bedroom. A sheet covered a small form on a bed. The room was cute. The generic little princess’ room. A white canopy bed with pink linen, pink wallpaper denoting unicorns and fairies. Not the real kind of faeries, but mythical fairies. All gossamer wings and bare feet. For a moment I was reminded of Sage. Lucy watched me intently. “Are you ready?”  
I nodded. She pulled back the sheet. An angelic face peered up at me with lilac eyes, her head circled by long blue/black hair. Her skin had the same pinkish tinge as her mother. I could only see one bite mark on her neck.  
“Has anyone moved the body? Looked for other wounds?” Detective Tate shook her head. Fuck. I was going to have to do it. “I need to give her a quick once over, make sure this is the only mark. Okay?”  
“Sure, whatever, just so long as we can get out of here soon.”  
“Is this your first child murder victim, Detective Tate?”  
“My first child vamp victim.”  
I nodded. It didn’t get any easier when it was a kid but it didn’t even come close to my new worst thing ever. A couple of months ago we’d had a rogue zombie running around eating people. He’d taken a child. I’d been brought in to examine the body once it was found. He’d looked asleep apart from the lower half of his body, which was a mess, hardly anything left, but it was still a kid which somehow made it worse.   
Rigor hadn’t set in yet and the girl was still easy to move. I checked her all over feeling like some kind of necrophiliac paedophile. I found no other bites and I almost sobbed with relief. I measured the one bite on her neck. Another size again. I stood up and recovered the body. We moved out to the corridor before we spoke.  
“Your thoughts, Ms Blake?”  
“You can call me Anita.” I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You have nine different vamps this time.”  
She inhaled sharply.  
“I don’t know what else to say. Vamps don’t leave clues. They’re good. The only clue may be that I think one of the vamps is very young, possibly only just turned. That would explain the woman’s wrist being chewed up, not enough control yet.” I shook my head. “Sorry. That’s all I’ve got.” I pulled the gloves off my hands and stuffed them in an open trash bag at the top of the stairs. I gave Detective Tate her tape measure back.  
“Thanks anyway.” We walked back down the stairs and I glanced at the family photos on the wall. Several of the little girl, posed at a photographers. One of the whole family. The little girl was a perfect mirror of her parents colouring. His blue hair, her pink skin. Mixed genetics at its best. I wanted to go home and cry. Kids always got me like this. Maternal instincts I think, something deep down at bone level, making you want to protect them, but it was too late for this little girl.  
“You know where to find me if you want me, Detective Tate.” We shook hands and I turned to the closed front door.  
“Anita?” I turned to her. “Are you really dating Rhys?”  
I smiled slightly. “Among other things, yeah, we’re dating.” I opened the door and went through it.  
We all got back in the car in silence and we’d driven two blocks when Kitto broke the silence.  
“Were they all part fey again?” He whispered.  
I looked at him sat beside me, sitting we were almost the same height. “How did you know that?”  
He shrugged. “You and Merry spoke about the first man the other day. You said he looked like he was fey descended. And when we were attacked outside the house they didn’t attack you, Frost or Rhys. You’re all pure blooded.”  
I felt my mouth fall open.  
“Fuck, Merry turn back, we’ve got a link.” I put my arm round Kitto’s shoulder and pulled him near me, kissing the side of his head. “Well done!” I took my arm back and realised he was blushing.  
“I’ll get jealous.” Rhys said from my other side.  
“I can’t believe I missed it.” I said ignoring him. I laid my head back against the rest, eyes closed. A moment later I was jerked in my seat as the car shuddered to a halt. The only thing that stopped me going through the windscreen was the seatbelt and that had dug into my hips with force; I was going to have a nice bruise there tomorrow. I looked up through my hair at the windscreen. The street ahead was full of vamps. I could feel them out there, about fifteen in all. A woman walked to the front. She was dressed in an obscenely short PVC dress. She spoke but we couldn’t hear her over the cars air-con. I unbuckled my belt and drew my gun. I leant into the front and pushed the button to open the sunroof.  
“What are you doing?” asked Rhys.  
“I’m going to talk to them. Nobody get out of the car, lock the doors. Merry, keep it in gear, we may need to get away quickly.”  
“And if we do?” She sounded nervous. She should be.  
“Ever been bowling?” I stood without waiting for a reply. The female vamp stared right at me as I half emerged from the sunroof. She wasn’t a master, she was only about fifty and didn't him with half enough power. I stood on the seat so I looked a lot taller than I actually was.  
“Sorry, we didn’t hear any of that over the air-con. Would you mind repeating it?”  
She looked at me, puzzled. “I said send out the half breeds and you and your friend can leave unharmed.”  
“Then we have a problem. You see they’re all my friends.” I dug my hand in the pocket of my shorts and came out with four of the crosses I’d had blessed. I was wearing the fifth one. I handed them to Merry. “Each of you put one on.” I said quietly. They might not believe in the same deity as me but I did so it was worth a shot.  
“I’m offering you one chance to leave unharmed.” Said the vamp.  
“I don’t give a flying fuck. You can’t have any of us.”  
“You think those crosses will protect you against us?” She laughed.  
“No,” I raised the gun and aimed it at her head. She looked amused. “You have one chance to let us past.”   
“Bullets won’t hurt me either.”  
“Let's find out if that's true. Go!” I called to Merry and pulled the trigger. The back of the vamps head exploded as I got the shot off before Merry hit the gas. I lurched against the edge of the car as we headed towards the assembled vampires. I tried to get back inside the car and felt the shimmering of magic before it hit me. I couldn’t move. My muscles had been frozen in place. I managed to yell; “Shiiiit!” before I was pulled from the car and put on the floor in front of the waiting vamps. If I’d been thrown I could have rolled out of it into a crouch, gun ready, but I was put down on my back. I was able to move again as soon as I touched the ground. Three vamps advanced on me and I brought the gun round to bear on one of them, shooting it in the chest. It fell to the ground, its heart gone. One jumped down to straddle me as I tried to roll but he was too fast. I swung my gun but he grabbed my wrist, wrenching it sharply so I dropped the gun.  
“Now, now girlie, we don’t want to hurt you…much.” He was smiling at me. I hated being called girlie. I pretended to be weak and let him lower his head towards me, then swung at him with my left hand, hitting him in the throat with my wrist, the one wearing my charm bracelet. He screamed as the flames licked up his throat to his face. He let go of my right hand and I yanked off the bracelet using my shirt sleeve to stop me from getting any more burns and pushed it into him, making him fall off me to one side as I back-pedalled away towards my gun. No other vamp approached me and I picked up my Browning and stood carefully keeping the vamps in sight. I pulled off my smouldering shirt and threw it to the ground. Now I had easy access to my knives too.   
I couldn’t see the car but I could hear screams from some of the vamps. I caught sight of Doyle and the smaller flash of white that was Rhys from his side. Looks like the guards had come to my rescue. So who the fuck was watching over Merry?   
Two more vamps approached me slowly. They could have rushed me in a second and I’d not have known. I had a feeling they liked to scare their victims. Feel their fear. They’d get no such joy from me.  
“Another step boys and I’ll put you back in your coffins permanently.” They hesitated for a moment then one of them, with short red hair, spoke.  
“How? You are badly outnumbered.”  
“But not outmatched.” I said, pulling my cross free of my shirt with my left hand. They averted their eyes from it, shielding their faces from the light it gave off. “Unless you all want your next nap to be of the eternal kind I suggest you all get the fuck out of here.”  
They looked at one another. I hoped they decided soon. My arms were starting to shake from holding the gun out so long. They tried to look back at me through the glare and redhead smiled; “Pray we don’t meet you unarmed some dark night.” And with that they were gone. All the vamps virtually disappeared from the street. I saw a couple of them move off in my peripheral vision but I was alone on the street with Doyle and Rhys. Doyle had his sword drawn; two dead-again vamps at his feet. Rhys was unarmed but he had four dead around him. I couldn’t figure that out. He ran to me and I put up my gun. He tried to take me in his arms but I held him away with my left hand on his chest.  
“Where’s Merry?” I asked before he could speak.  
“She went back to get Lucy. Are you all right?”  
“Let’s hope she made it.” I turned away from him and ran. I ran as fast as I could back the way we’d come towards the house and the police. Please let Merry have made it okay, please, oh please, oh please. I’d be having a serious talk with the guards about their priorities later.  
I heard footsteps behind me. I assumed it was Rhys and Doyle; I didn’t spare a look back. I had to get back, make sure Merry was okay.   
As I rounded the corner to the street Rhys and Doyle were running either side of me. Merry’s car was in the road with the doors open and engine running. She was running back towards it followed by Kitto, Lucy Tate and two uniforms. She saw us coming up the road and changed direction running towards us. She threw herself into Rhys and held him. I stepped past them not looking. I did not want to get jealous, I would not get jealous. Detective Tate looked at me.  
“What happened? Are they…”  
“They ran off.”  
“Merry said you were outnumbered.”  
“We were.” She looked at me sceptically. “Just because I’m little, Detective Tate, doesn’t mean I can’t hold my own against the vamps. And I got you one more clue.”  
She looked at me wide-eyed. “You were fighting a dozen vampires and you still managed to get a clue?”  
“Yeah.” I glanced over my shoulder to see Merry now hugging Doyle. Rhys was walking towards us. “There’s a witch involved.”  
She pulled a notepad out of her pocket and wrote on it. “How do you know it was a witch?”  
“All magic feels different, fey magic, animators, psychics. What I felt was witch magic. And not the good Wicca kind.” I explained about the magic I felt just before I was plucked from the car.  
“So we’re looking for a witch that works for vampires?”  
“I would say the other way round. Look for a witch with a grudge against anyone who isn’t pure blooded, half Sidhe, that kind of thing.”  
“It’s the best lead we’ve got.” She shook her head.  
“It’s the only lead we’ve got.”  
Rhys had reached us; “Excuse us, Lucy.” He said and swept me into his arms, holding me tight against him. “I thought I’d lost you.” He whispered into my hair.  
“I’m harder to kill than that, Rhys.”  
“I know.” He moved back far enough to look at me. “Are you sure you’re okay?”  
Now that I thought about it, my wrists were stinging, but not bad. I looked at the right one resting on Rhys’ chest. Blood was running down my arm in a steady flow.  
“What the hell…” I brought it to in front of my face for a better look. Four half-moon cuts ran along my wrist, the two middle ones so deep they had joined as one. It was where the vamp had clenched my wrist to get rid of my gun. He’d pierced my radial artery. I clamped my left hand over it and lifted it above my head.   
“Oh shit, call an ambulance.” I wasn’t sure if it was the sight of my own blood seeping from my body or blood loss but my knees buckled. Rhys was still holding me so I didn’t get very far. He slowly lowered me to the ground, still wrapped in his arms. He looked down at the blood on his shirt and the flow leaking around my fingers.  
“What’s wrong?” His voice sounded panicked. Isn’t it funny the things you notice when you’re bleeding to death?   
“The bastard pierced my radial artery. If you don’t get an ambulance quick I’m going to bleed out.”  
Lucy left us quickly, screaming at the uniforms to call for an ambulance. I was getting tired of holding my own arm in the air. My arms felt weak. Merry, Doyle and Kitto had come over.  
“Get a towel.” I said. Doyle ran into the house. My vision was fuzzing around the edges by the time he returned.  
“Oh hell, Anita, what can we do?” Merry’s face was paler than normal. She looked close to tears.  
“Well if I die you could tell Jean Claude I’m sorry I wasted all this blood.”  
“That’s not funny.”  
“But it’s realistic.” I was starting to sweat heavily. Shock was setting in. Damn. I was screwed. Merry had the towel in her hand now.  
“When I say so I’m going to move my hand. Put the towel right by it and push it hard over the wound when I let go. Keep my arm in the air and keep the towel pressed hard. Okay?” She nodded. “Now.” I moved my hand and Merry pressed the towel to my wound. I let my left arm drop to my lap. Rhys was knelt behind me. I was rested against him, cradled in his arms.   
“Rhys, I need you to support my arm. I’m not going to be able to hold it up much longer.” He took my right hand in his and held it. If I passed out he’d keep my arm elevated. I appreciated the comfort his holding my hand brought too. I glanced at him. A single tear was trailing its way down his cheek.  
Doyle knelt on the opposite side of Merry, Kitto was by my feet. I saw Lucy come to stand over me. “How is she?”  
“Shitty.” I said.  
“It’s not good.” Said Merry. “We have to stop the bleeding.”  
“Let me try.” This was from Doyle. I turned my head to look at him. He was staring intently at Merry. “Take her inside. I’ll try and heal her.”  
Merry nodded and my vision closed down. I felt myself being moved. I didn’t relinquish my hold on Rhys’ hand; it was the only thing keeping me grounded. Darkness beckoned and I didn’t want to go. I would not die like this. I would not. I chanted it over and over in my head.   
I felt the towel being removed and it was replaced with a warm, wet sensation. Sudden pain deep inside my wrist and my eyes flew open. I screamed and my wrist came into focus. Doyle was bent over it, his mouth attached to my arm.  
“What the fuck!” I managed weakly.  
“It’s okay, Anita. Doyle’s just healing it. It’s okay.” I heard Rhys from behind me. I tilted my head slightly and found my head in his lap. He’d acquired a damp cloth from somewhere and was mopping my brow with it.  
“What?” I gasped. He brushed damp hairs from my face.   
“It’s okay, let him work.”  
I glanced back at Doyle. I could feel his tongue inside the wound. I tried to snatch my arm back but Doyle had a tight grip on it. The pain made way to a stinging, then to a tingling. As the tingling sensation ran up my arm, the darkness finally took me.


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New wounds are bandaged while old wounds are reopened.

The smell hit me first. Disinfectant. I opened my eyes and found myself looking at a white ceiling. Looking round I found myself in the generic hospital room. White walls, white sheets etc…I was hooked up to a monitor happily beeping away in time to my heart. Rhys was asleep in a chair on the left side of me, his head resting on the bed, his hand wrapped around mine. I smiled. He matched the décor. My right arm was attached to a drip. I didn’t want to look, I hate needles. I tried to lift my right hand but found it heavy. I turned it instead. A bandage was tied tightly to my wrist. I could feel my pulse beating heavily against it.  
“Rhys,” I tried but my throat was dry. I swallowed a couple of times and tried again. “Rhys.” He stirred and turned to look at me.  
“Hey.” He smiled at me. I felt my heart squeeze at the sight of his smile. I hadn’t been sure I’d see him again. Hell, I hadn’t been sure I’d see anything again.  
“Hey.”  
“How are you feeling?” He sat up and I saw he didn’t quite match the room. His shirt was stained with my blood, dried to a rusty brown.  
“Heavy.”  
“Heavy?” He looked amused.  
“Okay, weak.” I said. I preferred admitting I was heavy.  
“Not surprising. You lost quite a lot of blood. You had a lot replaced too.”  
I nodded. “Can I get a drink?” He leant to the cabinet beside him and poured me a glass of water. He helped me sit up and moved the pillows so I could sit against them. I sipped the water slowly. Drink it too fast and you can throw up. That was the last thing I needed.  
“I hope you made sure they replaced the right ratio of blood to coffee.” He laughed and leant towards me, kissing me lightly on the forehead.  
“I was worried.”  
“I noticed.”  
“Seriously, Anita. I thought I was going to lose you. I only just found you.”  
“Yeah,” I sighed. “I thought I was a goner too. Luckily Jean Claude’s marks make me harder to kill.”  
“But not harder to injure. One cut and I nearly lost you.”  
“But you didn’t.”   
“I don’t want to lose you, in anyway. Stay with me, please.” Maybe it was the please. I wanted to say yes, I’d stay with him, forever. “Let me take care of you.” Whoops, wrong thing to say to me.  
“I don’t need taking care of.” My voice was edged with anger.  
“I didn’t mean it like that.” He glared half-heartedly at me. “I mean let me love you, be my girlfriend, my lover. Hell, be my wife. Anything if it’ll keep you here, with me.”  
I ignored the abstract proposal in the middle of that sentence. “I don’t want to go over this again right now, Rhys. I’m tired. Let’s just enjoy the time we have together for now, okay?”  
He lowered his head. I could almost hear his heart breaking. It tore me up to see him like this. I wanted to reach for him, tell him it was all okay, we’d find a way. But I could barely lift my hands. And I’d be lying. I couldn’t see a solution that gave us all what we wanted. I decided to change the subject.  
“What time is it?  
“Thursday afternoon.” He checked his watch. “About three fifteen.”  
“I was out for ages.” I sagged back against the pillows. “Was I given a sedative?”  
He shook his head. “Just painkillers.”  
“What did Doyle do?”  
“It’s one of his powers. He can heal with his tongue. He licked your wound inside and out and healed it. By the time the ambulance arrived you’d stopped bleeding and the wound was almost closed but the blood loss was the main problem. How did you not notice you were bleeding?”  
I shrugged. “If you’re busy your body shuts down while you concentrate on other things. Your friends being in danger is one of those things. You run on adrenaline. It only started to sting when I hugged you. I started to relax. So really it’s all your fault.” I smiled at him. He opened his mouth to reply but there was a soft tap at the door.  
“Come in.” He said. Merry entered carrying a huge bouquet of flowers, closely followed by Galen.  
“How’s the patient?” She put the flowers on the table at the end of the bed and leant past Rhys to hug me. I put my left arm around her. I didn’t want to risk losing the drip in the right. When she was done Galen pushed Rhys back and sat on the bed beside me, taking me in a hug that pulled me off the pillows. He rubbed my back and he let out a shuddering sigh.  
“She’s spoken for, buddy.” I heard Rhys say and Galen shot him a look as he lowered me back against the pillows. Merry and Galen each pulled up a chair by the bed and Rhys took my hand again. Was there something I was missing between Galen and Rhys? Probably just my imagination; or the drugs.  
“Thanks for the flowers, Merry.”  
“You’re welcome. You got your wounds protecting me again anyway. I think I’m going to have to start paying you to be a Raven.” She joked.  
“That’s a great idea.” Rhys smiled. “It’s the solution we’ve been looking for.”  
“She was joking, Rhys.”  
“It could work though. If you were one of Merry’s guards you could stay in LA and visit St Louis when we do.”  
“Rhys, please.” I shook my head. “I don’t need to hear this now. You know Jean Claude would never let me stay in LA all the time. And I don’t know if I want to live in LA permanently. I was offered a job here months ago but didn’t take it because I like it in St Louis.”  
“What’s going on?” asked Galen.  
“I want Anita to stay with me.” Rhys kept his eye on me as he spoke.  
“Oh.”  
“Will someone else please tell him what will happen if the Queen finds out?”  
Galen sucked in breath through his teeth. Merry lowered her head.  
“Is it worth the risks, Rhys?” She asked.  
“I’d risk everything for Anita.” I looked into his eye and found him serious.  
“I’m not worth that risk. Your first loyalty has to be to Merry, to your people. Not to some animator you met by chance.”  
“I don’t believe it was chance. I believe it was fate.”  
“I don’t believe in fate.”  
“I’ll introduce you to her sometime.”   
I closed my eyes. I didn’t want to see him like this. He was hurting and only I could stop it by telling him I’d stay with him. Go against Jean Claude, Queen Andais, and the whole of the Sidhe way of living, leave my life, my home, and my friends. “I’ll think about it, Rhys. Weigh up the options. I’ll come up with a solution, somehow.”  
“Do you want to stay here, with Rhys?” This was from Galen. He didn’t look happy either.  
“If everything was okay, if we didn’t have to worry about Andais and Jean Claude…I want to be with Rhys, but I don’t think I want to be in LA. And don’t even talk about leaving Merry to be with me in St Louis, Rhys. I just want a break from the subject. We’ve argued about this every day for two days. We’ll come up with something.” I just hoped we did. And soon.


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anita makes a terrible patient.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tiny mini chapter, so you get four today! Woot!

It took a lot of convincing but the doctors finally let me discharge at about eleven that night. I’d insisted Merry stay at home until the insane mixed blood-hating witch was caught so she’d sent Frost in her place. Rhys had stayed with me all day. We hadn’t broached the subject again and I was relieved. I didn’t have the energy to argue anymore. Frost brought me a change of clothes and I was ready to go. I sat in the wheelchair scowling as Frost pushed me to the entrance where Rhys was waiting with the car.  
“I’m telling you I don’t need this chair, I can walk.”  
“The doctor advised you don’t do anything strenuous for at least forty eight hours. That includes walking. You’ll be lucky if we let you walk around the house.”  
I glared up at him. He had an amused look on his face.  
“Stop this chair right now, I’m walking.” I shuffled forward in the chair and I felt his hand on my shoulder.  
“Stay there, Anita. Stop being so defensive for once. It’s okay to admit you were hurt.”  
I sat back and crossed my arms over my chest. I was pouting and didn’t care who knew it. Once we were outside I saw Rhys standing by the car, the passenger door open and waiting for me. I scowled at him and he frowned at me slightly.  
“The patient being impatient?” He asked, as we got nearer. When Frost stopped I got out of the chair before anyone could argue and got in the car myself.  
“Screw you.” I said and slammed the door.


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected guest.

We pulled up the drive to the house and I tried to get out of the car as it stopped. I found someone had locked my door. I turned and glared at Rhys in the drivers seat.  
“Open the fucking door.” I was still mad.   
“Promise me you’ll wait until I get round there to get out.”  
“No.”  
“Then I’m not unlocking it. I don’t want you face down in the gravel.” He got out and walked around the car. Frost had already gone inside, leaving us to duke it out alone. Rhys unlocked my door using his key and swept me into his arms. I crossed my arms over my chest. I was not going to enjoy this. I refused.  
“Why won’t you let us help you?” He sounded exasperated. Good.  
“I don’t like feeling helpless.”  
He carried me through the door and towards the lounge.  
“Well would you at least try and behave this once?”  
“You should know, Raven, that ma petite never behaves how you want her to.”  
Rhys froze in the doorway. Jean Claude stood in front of one of the chairs. He looked gorgeous. He was wearing a tight white t-shirt and faded black jeans. I’d never seen him dressed so casually. His hair was caught back from his face. He looked more human than I’d ever seen him.  
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I asked once I found my voice.  
“I thought I would come and offer you my support. So you do not make any… rash decisions.”  
“Put me down, Rhys.” He moved to the sofa. “On the floor.” He put me down, releasing me slowly as I found my feet.  
“How did you get permission from the master of LA so quickly?”  
He shrugged. “I have known the master here for a long time. She and I are old friends.”  
“I just bet you are. Why are you here, Jean Claude?”  
“I told you, ma petite. You sounded a little…unsure last night on the phone. I made arrangements to come to you immediately.” He was suddenly before me. I hadn’t seen him move. Rhys jumped beside me. The whole room gasped simultaneously. I kept my cool, brownie points for me. “I wanted to remind you of what awaits you in St Louis.”  
I swallowed. “I don’t want to discuss this in front of everyone.” I said quietly. I pushed past him and headed for the patio area. He followed me but I couldn’t hear him. I knew he was there all the same.  
I stopped at the fence that edged the patio and looked out over the garden. Jean Claude came up behind me and put his hands on my shoulders, pulling me to lean against him. I let him and I closed my eyes.  
“Are you coming home to me, ma petite?” He said eventually. He sounded sad.  
I sighed. “You know I will.”  
“But will you be alone?”  
I paused. I’d been over this time and again with Rhys the past few days. I told Jean Claude everything. My feelings for Rhys, not quite love, but more than lust. My love for him. My fear of Andais’ reprisals should she find out. My not wanting to lose either of them.  
“You want more options than you have, ma petite. I can offer you one more.” I turned in his arms to look at him.  
“What are you thinking, Jean Claude?” I frowned.  
He shrugged. “I know you do not respond well to threats. I will not threaten to kill Rhys. I could turn him…” I opened my mouth to speak but he held his fingers to my lips. “But I won’t. I am beginning to realise, Anita, that a monogamous relationship for you is almost impossible. Circumstance will always throw others in your path for you to love. And love them you will. It is part of who you are. Bring Rhys to St Louis. He can work for me. The Queen may be open to the idea of one of her Raven’s being a representative in the cities vampire hierarchy. Perhaps Cel can convince her.” He smiled slightly at that thought.  
“She won’t take Rhys from Merry.” I said. “If she did she may replace him with someone worse, someone Merry neither likes or trusts. I couldn’t force that on her.”  
“This is your chance to have both of us, ma petite. Are you so stubborn you would not even consider the idea?”  
“You’re saying you’d share?” I laughed. “Sorry, Jean Claude, but I don’t see it somehow.”  
He looked at me, his eyes serious. “Of all the guards you could have attracted, ma petite, Rhys is possibly the most compatible to us both. He has death powers, you have death powers. I am, as you constantly remind me, dead of sorts. Together we could be more powerful than the triumvirate with Richard would ever be.”  
“You want him for his power?”  
“I want you to be happy. If having Rhys in the picture is the only way to do so, then so be it. His power is merely a bonus.”  
“Why weren’t you so helpful when it was Richard you were competing against?”  
“Because Richard is a wolf. My animal to call and I could not call him. He was too powerful. He almost stole your heart out from under me. I will not allow that to happen again, ma petite.”  
I stared at him for long moment and finally he bent his head and kissed me. I was held against the fence by his body, his lips as soft as I remembered. I closed my eyes and gave myself over to the kiss. I felt tears slowly sliding down my cheeks. Damn. I was turning into a complete wuss. We parted slowly and Jean Claude remained with his forehead pressed against mine.  
“Why are you crying, ma petite?”  
I shook my head. “I don’t know.” I swiped angrily at my eyes.  
“Does the thought of losing your new-found love make you so sad?”  
I looked up to his midnight-blue eyes. “The thought of losing either of you makes me sad.”  
He cradled me to his chest and rocked me slowly.  
“We should tell Rhys.” I said eventually.  
I walked back into the lounge, leaving Jean Claude on the patio. I’d dried my tears completely. Totally respectable again, see? Yeah, right. Rhys was sitting in the chair opposite the door. He stared at me as I came in.  
“Rhys, would you mind stepping outside for a moment?”  
He stood and came outside. Jean Claude told him his idea. He listened intently until he was finished then he just nodded.  
“Say something, Rhys.” I said. The silence was deafening.  
“It’s better than your idea of me being tortured and you being killed.” He smiled at me. I slapped him playfully. “We should run it past Merry.”  
The two men, my two men, moved towards the door but I didn’t follow them. They turned as one to look at me.  
“What’s wrong?” They asked as one.  
“Merry shouldn’t have to give you up.” I said to Rhys.  
“Let’s let Merry make that decision. If she says it’s okay we’ll get her to contact Andais and give her Jean Claude’s offer.”  
I nodded once and we all went back to the lounge.


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merry gets some unexpected information; Jean Claude has a proposal for Queen Andais.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to everyone who has left me kudos on my work! I am humbled and amazed that anyone actually wants to read anything I've written and it puts such a smile on my face whenever I see more hits! Thank you so much!

“I’m sorry. Are you suggesting Rhys goes to live in St Louis as a liaison for the courts with the vampires?” Merry was astonished. There was no other word for the look on her face. Fear, horror, shock, surprise. All key factors in astonishment. They were all there.  
“Ask Jean Claude to explain it.” I said. “It was his idea.” I slumped down into the chair. This idea was sounding more stupid the more I heard it.  
“It is one way to keep everyone happy.” Jean Claude glanced down at me as he explained. “Rhys will not have to leave the courts and he can be with Anita. Andais, if she agrees, will have an insider in one of the most powerful vampire organisations in the state. Anita will still be in St Louis albeit with both Rhys and myself. This is the only conclusion I can offer allowing Anita and Rhys to be together.” He shrugged.  
“Yeah, keeps everyone real happy.” I muttered.  
Merry hugged herself and looked at me. “Do you have something you want to add, Anita?”  
“Yeah.” I stood up again, too fast and my head spun momentarily. “It keeps everyone happy, but you. I’d be ecstatic to have Rhys with me but not if it costs us our friendship. Not if it means you’re sent another guard and made to sleep with them.”  
“Then perhaps another compromise.” Jean Claude offered. “An exchange program. I send you a new guard, no strings attached in exchange for Rhys’ services.”  
“Who would you send?” I asked.  
“I would have to think on that. Damian perhaps.” He shrugged.  
Merry sat down heavily. “I don’t know. I’ll have to think about it. I don’t want to stop the two of you being together but I don’t want another stranger in the house.” She shook her head. “I’ll think about it.” She repeated.  
“I’m sorry to put you in this position.” I said, moving to sit beside her.   
“I would not be happy with a vampire as your guard.” Said Frost. He’d been staring at Jean Claude since we’d got back from the hospital. I wondered who’d invited Jean Claude in.   
“And Doyle wouldn’t be happy with a wolf.” I said. I suddenly realised he wasn’t there. “Where is Doyle?”  
We all glanced at each other and he walked back into the room.  
“Meredith, your aunt wishes to speak with you.”  
“Convenient timing.” She said. “Do you want to put your case to her now?” She asked Jean Claude.  
“As they say, there is no time like the present.” We all got up and went to Merry’s room.   
Andais was in the mirror as we arranged ourselves. I stood at the back of the bed with Jean Claude. Frost and Doyle knelt in front of Merry again. The others tactfully stayed out of sight.  
“Ms Blake. I didn’t realise you were still there.”  
“I’m hard to get rid of.” I said with a smile.   
“And who is your handsome friend?”  
I glanced at Jean Claude who swept low in a graceful bow. “This is Jean Claude, vampire Master of the city of St Louis.”  
“A pleasure to meet you, your majesty."  
“Likewise I’m sure.” She turned her attention back to Merry.  
“Meredith, I have the information you requested.”  
“With regard to the New York ambassador?”  
“Of course. I believe this man has been misled. I have spoken with the man who was the ambassador during this time. He is quite alive. He had a human aide by the name of Imogen Hammond while he was in New York. He and she had an affair shortly before he was recalled to the mounds. Only when the boy was seven did he realise they had conceived a child. He was furious as he had only recently married in the courts and hired someone to kill both her and his son. Apparently he did not know the boy had survived.”  
“He ordered his son killed?” Merry sounded horrified. Good, it was how I felt.  
“Yes, he is having a visit to Ezekiel as we speak.” She smiled slightly. I didn’t quite understand. I wasn’t sure I wanted to.  
Merry shook her head. “I will report back to Mr Hammond. Thank you, my Queen.” She bowed slightly. “There is one thing before you go. Jean Claude has a proposition for you, to help increase your power outside the courts.”  
She raised an eyebrow. “I’m intrigued. Please, tell me.”  
“As you wish.” Jean Claude bowed again then moved to lounge on the bed as he told her. Jean Claude lounges like an expert. I wasn’t sure if he’d done it to show his body off, he was dressed, but he commanded a lot of attention.  
“Quiet simply, your highness, I wish for us to make an alliance of sorts. I offer one of your Ravens a position in my organisation, allowing you eyes and ears in the vampire community of St Louis.”  
“Intriguing.” She said simply. “I will consider your offer. I will reply in twenty-four hours. Will you still be at Meredith’s house then?” Her words seemed to ask more than they implied.  
“I may well still be here, your highness, yes.”  
She turned her gaze on me. “Is any of this your doing, Ms Blake?”  
I shrugged. “I don’t tell him what to do, but I am the reason he is here, yes.”  
“Tell me then, are you and he lovers?” I nodded once, carefully. “My you are interesting.”  
“I would recommend you consider his offer.” I said. “Ask Prince Cel his thoughts on the matter. I think you’ll find he’d agree that an alliance with vampires could be most…agreeable.”  
She frowned slightly. I knew she had no idea what I was talking about; she knew nothing of her sons conspiring with the master vampire Kaie in March. In my peripheral vision I could see Rhys shaking his head. Galen was gesticulating frantically, Nicca stood with his mouth open.  
“Are you always this blatant, Ms Blake, or is it something you have learned from my niece?” I couldn’t tell if she was amused or angry. I hoped for amused.  
“Oh I get worse than this.” She laughed. Phew.  
“I will take your advice Ms Blake and speak with Cel. You will have my answer in the stated time.” Her image faded back to the mirror. Everyone turned to look at me except Jean Claude. He’d already been looking at me the entire time I was talking to the Queen.  
“I’m betting on stupid still.” Said Doyle, shaking his head.  
“I have to agree.” Said Frost.  
I shrugged. “I think she likes me.”  
“Better that than hates you on sight.” Said Merry. “As much as having you all here is fun, I need to get to bed.” She smiled slightly. “I don’t think I’ve ever has so many people in my room before.”  
“That’s something coming from you.” I said with a smile as I walked to the door.  
“My Aunt’s right on one thing. You are blatant.”  
I shrugged. “At least I’m consistent.”


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sleeping arrangements.

I walked up the spiral stairs towards my room and noticed Jean Claude and Rhys stood at the bottom looking up at me.  
“What now?”  
“We have to discuss sleeping arrangements, ma petite. I did not have time to have my coffin shipped.”  
I scowled at him and sat down on the step I was on. I was more tired now than when I’d left St Louis. “You did that on purpose.”  
“Moi? I would not do such a thing deliberately, ma petite. You know the risks I run sleeping in a bed.”  
I nodded. I did. I had an idea. “Rhys, how thick are your bedroom curtains?” I kept my eyes on Jean Claude as I asked.  
“Quite thick. They’re velvet.”  
“Do they block out all the light?”  
“Just about. Apart from the little that escapes around the top where the rail is.”  
“Fine. Jean Claude can take your room, you can sleep with me.”  
“Are your curtains not very heavy, ma petite?”  
“You know I don’t want to wake up with you dead beside me, Jean Claude.”  
He nodded once. “How could I forget?” He said innocently. He didn’t look innocent.  
“Then perhaps I could stay with you until dawn and then go to Rhys’ room?”  
“Where is Rhys supposed to stay until then?” Jean Claude shrugged. “Even if I did let you in you aren’t getting any tonight so you may as well amuse yourself until dawn. I need to sleep. That’s all I’m going to bed for.”  
“Have you worn her out so quickly?” I turned and saw him looking at Rhys, an amused look on his face. I walked back down the stairs and stopped on the one that brought us at eye level.  
“I don’t know if they told you, but I was at the hospital until this evening.”  
“I knew this.” He said. I glared into his midnight blue eyes.  
“Did you know I was there because I nearly bled to death?”   
His eyes flickered slightly. “I did not know that. I’m sorry, ma petite. I will let you sleep. Recuperate. I will see you in the evening.” He kissed me softly and walked away and down the stairs to the ground floor. Maybe he was going out, maybe he was going to watch TV. Maybe right now I didn’t give a shit.  
Rhys was looking at me expectantly. “Well, if you’re coming up, come up.” I spun on my heels and walked back up the stairs. “But you’re not getting any either.”


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Small, mini, almost threesome smut!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone for continuing to read my stories, and thanks to empyreal26 I have decided to also post some of my more canonically running Anita stories, involving some of our favourite wereleopards! The first few chapters of 'Old Friends, New Enemies' is coming in the next few hours! Happy reading!

In the dream it was dark. Not just nighttime but the all-encompassing darkness I’d felt inside Kendrick’s mind. Jean Claude appeared in front of me dressed all in black, a shirt and slacks, his hair hanging loose. The only things showing clearly against the background were his pale hands and face. Rhys appeared beside him, wearing exactly the same as Jean Claude except he was all in white. He glowed beside Jean Claude. I looked from one to the other of them.  
“What’s going on?” I asked as they walked towards me.  
“A small sample, ma petite, of what the two of us together can offer you.”  
I looked down at myself and found I was wearing a long dress. It was fitted close to my upper body with a low neck and fell out in gentle waves from a high waistline to fall softly over my feet to the floor. Above the waistline it was jet black, below pure, brilliant white. The long, tight sleeves were also black.  
I looked back at them. They were almost in front of me. I felt a stirring in the air of power and they took a hand each, kissing their way up to my neck, the sleeves of the dress disappearing as their lips touched it. Rhys kissed my lips softly as Jean Claude trailed kisses over my collarbone. Jean Claude’s power emanated from him as a cool breeze against my skin. Rhys’ was not much warmer, different but the same like an autumn breeze.  
They each took a hand and put their other under my arms, lifting me off my feet backwards. They lowered me on a bed I hadn’t realised was behind me. It was a large white four-poster with black silk sheets.  
“I don’t understand.” I said as they each lay beside me, their shirts disappearing into nothingness, revealing their scarred yet still beautiful chests.  
“We can accomplish so much, us three.” Rhys said. His beautiful blue eye swirled before me, so much lighter than Jean Claude’s.  
“I still don’t understand.”  
Jean Claude put his fingers to my lips. “Stop thinking, ma petite. Let your power guide you. Let us guide you.” He moved his finger and kissed me gently and I did as he asked. I stopped thinking. I felt Rhys’ hand on my waist and suddenly I was naked. Jean Claude moved to kiss down my throat as Rhys traced kisses down my waist and hip.  
“Relax, ma petite.” I felt his breath over my collarbone.  
“It’s okay, Anita.” Rhys said. I felt his breath on my thigh. Jean Claude’s kisses went lower and he ran his tongue over my nipple. I gasped and felt my nipple tighten as he gently sucked and rolled it in his mouth.  
Rhys ran his tongue gently over me with slow strokes. I shuddered against his mouth. I felt their respective powers building and I opened my eyes. Our powers seemed to be visible, strands of liquid mist flowing in the air above us. Jean Claude’s was a sharp blue bringing to mind deep, cold oceans and icebergs. Rhys’ was a sharp white with traces of darkness, only visible when the white crossed it. Mine was red, the colour of fresh blood in sunlight. The closer I got to orgasm the more they mingled together until they were intertwined. I screamed and arched my back and together Jean Claude and Rhys brought me to breaking point but it didn’t stop. The powers rushed into all three of us.  
I sat up with a start. I was shaking and sweating and back in my room at Merry's house. Rhys lay beside me, blinking himself awake.  
“What was that?” I gasped. He sat up beside me and put an arm round my shoulders. He was naked but I was wearing my enormous penguin t-shirt. I didn’t want to tempt him but I could see a fine sheen of sweat on his skin. A quick glance showed he was full and hard.  
“It’s okay. Jean Claude and I talked about this.”  
“You two planned this? How did you do it?”  
“I have a certain degree of control over the dead, right?” I nodded. “Jean Claude agreed to let me into his dream and then send it to you. So we could all link powers.”  
“It was amazing.”  
“It was, wasn’t it?” He pulled me back down to lay down against him and I sighed. “And that was just a dream.” He whispered. I fell asleep again happy and contended. If I dreamt again, I didn’t remember.


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anita makes a startling discovery.

I sat in the waiting room at Grey Detective Agency again at seven thirty pm. Simon Hammond was obviously a busy man. This was the only time he could fit Merry in. Rhys, Frost and Galen were in the office with Merry. The receptionist was tapping away at her PC; typing faster than I thought was possible. But hey what do I know? I bet she didn’t know squat about animating. Hammond had been here when we’d arrived. He still looked smart and cool despite the heat and had followed Merry to her office without a word. I was finishing the article I had started reading earlier in the week when I felt it. A tingling of magic I recognised. It was the same magic I’d felt pull me from Merry's car. Everyone who worked at the Grey Detective Agency was somehow magical and people in the corridor were looking around curiously. I wasn’t curious, I was worried. I was halfway down the corridor with my Browning drawn before I knew it. I opened Merry's office door left handed and threw the door back, Browning ready and pointed into the room. Frost had drawn his sword, Galen and Rhys their pistols pointed at me. Merry sat at her desk, Simon Hammond in front of her, both staring at me open mouthed. Just another business meeting. Yeah right. I knew what I’d felt.  
“Anita, what’s wrong?” Merry asked. The guards put up their weapons but I didn’t. I kept my gun pointed steadily at Hammond’s head. I ignored her.  
“Do that again.” I said to him.  
“I’m sorry?” He was wide eyed in fear, his eyes on my gun. I lowered it to point at the floor by my thigh.  
“Magic.” I said. “Do that again.”  
“Anita…” It was Rhys. “Are you okay?” He moved up beside me, a hand on my shoulder. I shook my head as the first seeds of doubt were sown.  
“Sorry.” I said and walked back towards the door, putting up my gun. Geez, I needed a vacation from my vacation.  
“It’s alright.” Said Hammond. “I think I know what you felt.”  
“You do?” asked Merry. I guessed she hadn’t felt it.  
“Yes. I cast a small cantrip on myself during the summer months to keep myself cool. It kicks in a… refill if you like, every couple of hours.”  
I turned back to look at him, suspicion written all over my face. “Could you cast something else? Something minor?”  
“What would you like?” He smiled now that the gun was gone.  
“Anything.” I shrugged. “I don’t know a lot about magic.”  
“I’ll think of something to show you by the end of the meeting, Ms…”  
“Blake.”  
“Ms Blake.”  
“Can we continue?” Asked Merry, eyeing me carefully.  
“Sure.” I nodded. I went back to the waiting area. If he did try anything again I’d feel it.  
I sat back down but didn’t resume reading. I watched the corridor for Simon Hammond coming down it. About ten minutes later he did. He looked at me as he approached. His smile was gone. I guessed his news hadn’t pleased him.  
“Thought of a spell, have we?” I smiled slightly.  
“Just a simple one.” He raised his hand and suddenly I didn’t want him to show me. He held out his hand flat in front of me and I felt the tingle of magic. It was definitely the same as in the street. I started to stand, hand moving towards my gun. He blew into his hand as if to blow a kiss and I was surrounded by butterflies made of light. They fluttered around me, blocking my vision with spots of light, as I said; “You’re the one hiring the vamps!” I batted at the butterflies dispelling them but he was gone. The doors were swinging and I heard a door slam open in the corridor.  
“Get Rhys!” I yelled at the receptionist as I ran for the door, Browning back in my hand. I looked left and saw the door to the stairwell open. I ran toward it, not waiting for back up.  
There was a trace of magic in the air as I stood in the door, looking up and down the stairs. Logic said he should have gone down. Magic said he went up. Good. There were more floors going down than there were up. I sprinted up the stairs as quickly as my weak knees would let me. The magic trail kept going up and I followed it. I heard the door slam again below me and Rhys yelled; “Anita?”  
“Up!” I yelled but didn’t wait for him to catch me. My knees were popping as I got three flights up. The door to this floor stood open. I leant against the wall beside the open door, my gun ready. I crouched down, hoping if he had any kind of weapon, even magic, he’d be aiming at chest height. Crouching I was much lower than chest height. I heard Rhys coming up behind me as I threw myself into the corridor pointing my gun towards the elevators. He stood in front of them waiting for the doors to open. “Don’t move!” I yelled. Freeze always seemed too dramatic. The doors on both elevators pinged open and he dove into one. I was on my feet and running for the other elevator as Rhys came through the door. Rhys got into the elevator just as the door started to close. I had my finger hard on the ground floor button. Please don’t stop for any passengers.  
“What’s going on?” He wasn’t even slightly out of breath.  
“Simon Hammond. He’s the witch.” I said, massaging my knees. They were going to kill me tomorrow. They were only trying for battery at the moment.  
“The witch?” He stared at me.  
“Yeah. The witch. That’s why I came bursting into the office when his cantrip went off. It was the same magic I felt when I was pulled from the car.”  
“Shit.”  
“Yeah.” I checked my gun, making sure the safety was on. I’d click it off when I saw him again but I didn’t want to shoot anyone else accidentally, Rhys included even though he’d probably survive.  
I watched the numbers dropping. It was a race of elevators. I was sure he’d go to the ground floor. It was the only way out of the building. Unless he could fly. I shook the thought from my head; I couldn’t be that unlucky, could I?  
“Are you okay?”  
I nodded. “I’m not very good on stairs.”  
“You’re admitting you have a weakness?” He stepped back in mock horror, a hand on his chest.  
I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, a smile tweaking the corner of my mouth. Even when we were about to go into a possible battle he still made me smile.  
“I have a couple.” 12…11…10. Dammit this lift was slow.  
“Like what?” He checked his own gun.  
“I can’t walk away from a situation involving innocents, no matter how high the personal risk. I hate flying and don’t get me started on needles.” 7…6…5…  
“Is that everything?   
I thought for a moment. “At the end of this vacation I might have a few more.” 2…1…ping!  
I was through the door before it was fully open, Rhys close behind me. The few people who’d been waiting for the elevator screamed and moved out of the way at the sight of our guns. Guns are good for clearing paths, most of the time you don’t even need to fire them. I could see Hammond running through the front door and I was after him, Rhys at my side. Now we were on flat ground I had a better chance of catching him, so long as he wasn’t faster than me. Even if he was I was betting I could out run him on distance. That’s why I run four miles three times a week when I’m home. Of late I’ve been the one running away. It felt good to be giving chase for a change.  
The people on the street continued to move out of our way and I saw Hammond turn slightly towards us, hand raised. I hit the ground in a roll as I felt magic soar over my head. Rhys wasn’t so lucky. I heard him grunt and hit the ground behind me. Quick decision, follow the bad guy or check the guy I loved? The bad guy won out, I hoped Rhys understood. Shit, I hoped he survived.  
I had a perfect shot at Hammond’s back and I took it. My bullet hit him as he started to fade. He flinched as my bullet hit home but then he was gone. The bullet fell out of the air and hit the ground with a plink. You could have dropped a pin and you’d have heard it.   
I put up my gun and turned to Rhys. He was lying on his back, arms out beside him. He was shaking his head and blinking. He seemed okay. I moved to his side and helped him sit up.  
“You okay?”  
“Yeah.” He tried to stand and I helped him. “I feel like I just ran head on into a brick wall.”  
“Just as well you’re immortal then.” I smiled at him. “Sorry I didn’t yell a warning, I just reacted.”  
“It’s okay. I should have seen it coming.” He shrugged. “I feel fine apart from being jarred to the bone. I’ll survive.”  
We walked back towards the office as Galen and Frost came running out of the front doors. We waved at them and kept walking. We went back up to the office and I told them all about the magic and that Hammond was our man. Merry called Lucy Tate and told her, giving her Hammond’s address.  
We were getting in the car when I felt a shimmering in the air. High magic. The others must have felt it too, they each went for their weapons, mine was already in my hand. Subconscious gun pulling. It’s what I practised for. Suddenly everything went… sticky. I can’t describe it as anything else. It’s like one of those dreams when you’re running but it’s like you’re running through maple syrup only it was everywhere. It was as if time had slowed around us. I saw Holland walking towards us, a smug smile on his face. He was walking normal speed. He waved a wrist towards us and Merry and Galen closed their eyes. I’d have said they blacked out but they remained where they were. Another wave of his hand and they moved away from the group towards a waiting van, levitating slightly above the ground. He continued to smile at us. I wanted to shoot his face off but I couldn’t move. We watched helplessly as they were put in the van and Hammond drove away. He’d been gone for what seemed a long time when the spell broke. Frost screamed in frustration, pounding the roof of the car with his fists. He dented it considerably. I can’t say I blamed him. We’d stood by and watched while two of our number had been taken and there wasn’t a damn thing we could do about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know. Cliffhanger. Sorry, not sorry!


	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brief chapter, rallying the troops!

We did the only thing we could do. We got the Grey Detective Agency van and went for back up. Rhys called Lucy Tate, and Frost organised the guards while I rushed up to Rhys’ room to see if Jean Claude was up. I knew he was awake as soon as I entered. He looked alive under the sheets. He’d had his eight hours. He rolled onto his back and smiled at me, the sheet moving revealing pale nipples and his cross shaped scar.   
“Did you enjoy your dream, ma petite?”  
“I don’t have time for that now, we have a problem.” I explained everything to him.  
“As soon as it is full dark, ma petite, I will help you. For now all I can do is man the phones for you.” I nodded once and got up to leave but he caught my arm. He was cold of course, he hadn’t fed yet, but he still felt human.  
“Take care, ma petite.” I nodded again and left.  
Rhys was waiting at the bottom of the stairs for me. “Kendrick called.” He said as I approached.  
“And?”  
“He’s given us an address we might be able to find this gang of vamps at.”  
“The daytime resting place?” I was hopeful.  
“No. Just somewhere vamps have been seen a lot recently.”  
“It’s place to start.”  
“I called Lucy. She said Hammond’s place was deserted but she’s posted someone to watch in case he shows up.”  
“Okay. If these vamps have been hanging around the address Kendrick gave us, maybe Hammond goes there too. Like a meeting place.”  
“That’s what we thought. You ready to go check it out?”  
“I’m always ready.”


	35. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ACTION! ADVENTURE! MAGIC! RESCUE! It's all here!
> 
> We are coming to the end of the LA portion of the story, however there is still some way to go before the end!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I have just freaked myself out by wondering what the heck I did, as I'm copying and pasting over chapters from Pages. Apparently I had this chapter in twice, completely identical, so I have no idea what happened, so freak out over but we may only have 42 chapters rather than the original 43. Between me sometimes mis-numbering them in my own work and now this I'm giving myself mini heart attacks on a weekly basis!

The address Kendrick had given us was a warehouse at the other side of the city. See? What did I say about warehouses and vamps? It took us a fair while to get there and then to find in the maze of streets. I hoped we weren’t too late. The sky was almost totally black, only a small shading of light remained in the west. There were lights coming from inside the warehouse, a good sign someone was here at least.  
“We need a plan.” I said, looking around the van. I was sat in the front seat. Rhys had driven; Frost sat on my other side. Doyle, Nicca, and Kitto sat in the middle seat.  
“We can either burst in, guns blazing or sneak a look as to where everyone is and then go in guns blazing.”  
“I like the way you think.” Said Rhys with a smile.  
“We should check who is inside before we burst in.” Doyle said with a frown. “I will go up to the roof and take a look in. I’ll give you a signal if Merry and Galen are within. Then you can go in. I’ll follow from above if possible. And Anita…” he looked at me seriously “Try not to kill any of our people.”  
“I’ve never done that.” I said. “But I get your point. No shooting until we have a clear shot.”  
We all piled out of the van. Rhys, Frost and Doyle each had their ornate swords, Nicca had a sword too, only less decorative. Kitto had short sword even I could have wielded but I’d stick with my guns if it was all the same to everyone else. I was wearing a black vest and black shorts, black socks and black Nikes, as if this morning I’d subconsciously known I’d be sneaking around in the dark. My Browning was in my hand, my Firestar in its inner pants holster. A knife on each wrist and I felt I was ready to take anything on. I hoped I was right.  
Doyle was out of sight the instant he hit the shadows. We moved to the door and awaited his signal. It was one of those doors that was huge with a smaller one inset in it. I hoped one of them was unlocked. I crouched with my back to the hinges. Rhys stood beside me, Kitto beside him. Frost and Nicca stood to the other side. I glanced to Frost then to Nicca. I didn’t know what kind of signal to expect from Doyle. I hoped they did. I moved my attention back to the door. A spider the size of my palm was crawling across it, its sudden appearance making me start.  
“That’s the signal.” Said Frost and kicked in the door. It didn’t stand a chance. It slammed back against the inside and he was through the door before I even had a chance to stand. I was the last inside and didn’t like it. The room was big and almost empty. Warehouses always seemed lonely when not filled with boxes and crates. This one however looked perverted. Merry and Galen were staked spread eagled to the floor, gagged and tied at ankles and wrists in just their underwear. They were struggling against their bonds now the cavalry was here. Runes were dusted on the floor in a white powdery substance with a circle running around them. Hammond sat at the far side of the circle in an office chair. He applauded us slowly.  
“I must say, well done on figuring it out, although I doubt you would have done it without Anita’s help.” He gave me a slight bow. “Have you ever done an internet search on your name, Anita Blake? You get some interesting results. I read you were a big shot vampire hunter, the scourge of St Louis. And yet here you are walking into a simple trap.”  
I levelled my gun on him. “Get Merry and Galen.” I said to the others. Frost and Nicca walked forward but stopped at the line of powder.  
“That’s right.” Continued Hammond. “You can’t cross it. You can’t get in and I can’t get out. Princess Meredith and her green guard and I will have front row seats for your deaths.” He clapped his hands. I felt them around us as they emerged. I don’t know how he’d done it but he’d cloaked the presence of the vampires from us. They emerged from every shadow, more than I could count in one glance. Maybe fifty, maybe more. None were masters. I took some comfort in that.  
“Shouldn’t one of you say ‘you won’t get away with this’?” asked Hammond as the vamps approached us. We all moved back to back.  
“I’ll say you’ll be dead by the time dawn comes if you like?” I said to him.  
He laughed. I hate being laughed at. “And who’s going to do it, Executioner, you?”  
“Why not.” I shrugged and turned my gun on him, pulled the trigger and fired. The air wavered in front of him and the bullet slowed. He plucked it out of the air and dropped it to the floor beside him. It must have been hot. I hoped he’d burnt his fingers.  
“I’ve been looking forward to this.” I looked back to find the redheaded vampire from the other night walking towards me.  
“I bet you have.” I turned my gun on him and he slammed into me. He lifted me off my feet and pushed me through the guards at my back, finally slamming me into the wall. He held me there by my throat as the other vamps attacked the guards. I turned my attention back to redhead. The guards were immortal, I wasn’t. He was holding my gun hand against the wall with his spare hand. I swung both my feet into his groin as hard as I could. I’d used this tactic before and I hoped it worked again. It did but he kept his grip on my throat as he crumpled over, snarling angrily and in pain. I drew my knife with my left hand and pushed it into his radial artery. He screamed and turned his attention back to me. He bounced me solidly against the wall and brought his face close to mine.  
“Try that again bitch, and I’ll break your neck.”  
“Better dead than a vamp.” I gasped at him and plunged my knife into his chest. I pushed it as hard as I could and felt his grip on my throat loosen. He lowered me slowly to the floor as he stared at the knife in his chest backing away from me a little. As soon as my feet touched the ground I kicked the hilt of my knife, driving it further into him. He slumped to the floor, dead and I took back my knife. I looked back at the fray. Doyle had joined them now, his blade slicing deep into the body of any who opposed him. I’d been pushed through them and across the edge of the circle, I must have been. I made my way around the room a little and approached the circle. I felt no magic from it. I crouched down and licked my finger, then dipped it in the powder and tasted it. Salt. I could cross it; I wasn’t fey.  
I strode towards Merry and Galen confidently. The circle of salt couldn’t stop me. I slashed one of the bindings holding Galen’s hand and gave him my knife. “Free yourselves.” I said and returned to the battle.  
More vamps seemed to be pouring out of the woodwork as I took aim, firing into them. There were too many of them. I felt a tingling of Rhys’ magic then saw him punch a vamp in the face left handed and the vamp dropped, all life gone. I ran to his side, shooting myself a path.  
“What did you just do to that vamp?” I said as I fired point blank into another’s face.  
“I can kill with a touch, if I want to.” He ran another through with his sword.  
“I might have an idea.” I said. “We need to get out of this fight though, just for a few seconds.”  
He looked at me as he elbowed an approaching vamp in the face. “If you say so.”  
We fought a path to the edge of the vamps. They kept coming but now it wasn’t from all sides.  
“What are you thinking?” he asked.  
“Try and use your powers to control them. They’re an army of dead, vampires or not.”  
I felt his powers immediately, the cool surge around me. A few of the younger vamps turned to look at him but the majority kept fighting. I glanced at Merry and Galen, trapped inside the circle of salt. Could I get them out? If I could break the line of salt, yes. I started to move toward them when Rhys caught my wrist.  
“I can’t do it, not all of them.” He was sweating slightly with the effort. “They’re not dead, not properly.”  
“Then we try and join powers. I can call my power, you see if you can use me as a focus for your own.” I shot a vamp in the eye, sending grey matter out in a spray behind it.  
“Will it work?” He ran his sword into a vamp, sliding it upwards and taking out its heart. He pushed it off his blade with his foot.  
“I have no idea. I once raised three vampires by accident, but that was during daylight and using the triumvirate.”  
“Then perhaps I can help there, ma petite.” Jean Claude walked through the door towards us.  
“Can’t you just use your godly vampire powers and control them anyway?” I ducked as a vamp dove at me, he went sailing overhead and I shot him as he landed, not fatally though. Damn.  
“Sorry, ma petite. They gain a lot of power from being a pack.” He threw a vamp in front of him back into the crowd with no effort. I was starting to feel left out. I was the only person in the room who couldn’t bench-press a Toyota. Besides Hammond, I wasn’t sure about him.  
“Any suggestions?” I shot the same vamp again, point blank in the head.  
“We have a little try at what we did last night.” He smiled.  
“I’m not getting naked in the middle of a battle.”   
He came and stood behind us looking amused. He put a hand on each of our shoulders.  
“Call your powers, ma petite. Pretend these vampires are your dead. Raise them.”  
I swallowed and put up my gun. I drew my second knife and ran it over my left forearm. I walked a circle around the three of us, I should have walked it around all the vamps but I wasn’t going near them unnecessarily, not with fresh blood seeping out of me.  
“I call all dead hearing my voice. I call them with fresh blood. I call them with steel. I call them to me.”  
I was improvising. I’d never tried calling the animated dead before. I walked back to where I had stood and Jean Claude put his hand back on my shoulder. I reached out with my powers and felt the ice-cold touch of Jean Claude’s at my back. Rhys’ slightly warmer power brushed at my side.  
“Hold hands, mon chere.” Rhys and I did so, his left in my right. “Now, Rhys. Use our powers to control them.” I felt a rush as our powers reached into the assembled vamps. They slowed their attacks and eventually stopped, turning to look at us. Their eyes looked as blank as any just raised zombies I’d ever seen. They awaited Rhys’ command, our command.  
“Now what do you want to do with them?” He asked.  
“Now we have some fun.” I turned to see Hammond standing by his chair, a look of outrage on his face.  
“What did you do?” He screamed. I smiled at him and dropped the circle, walking towards him. I crouched at the edge of the salt circle and dusted some away.  
“You guys can get out now.” I said to Merry and Galen. They walked past me to the other guards. Neither seemed uncomfortable about their semi-nakedness. I’d have been blushing furiously. Or just furious. Probably both.  
I went and stood in front of Hammond, where his barrier that had stopped my bullet began.  
“You messed with the wrong people, Hammond.”  
“How did you make them stop? From one magic user to another.” He stared down at me.  
“I’m a necromancer. Rhys was a death god and Jean Claude is a master vampire.” I smiled sweetly. “Your puny little vamps didn’t stand a chance.”  
“You still can’t get to me.” He crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly, a smile on his face.  
“Okay.” I said and sat down on the floor. “I can wait as long as you can. Only my friends here can go and get me food, and water. Oh and give me bathroom breaks. What are you going to do?” I saw a look cross his face. I didn’t like it. I started to stand but couldn’t move. His face was contorted in anger. I felt my Browning and Firestar fly from their holsters along with my remaining knife. The barrier shimmered, disappeared then reappeared to encompass me also. I could move again the moment the barrier went into place and I finished standing.  
“Now you’ll starve with me.” He smiled.  
Rhys and Jean Claude had come up to the barrier, the salt circle broken and useless. The others weren’t far behind.  
Jean Claude’s voice came into my head. “You know how to get the barrier down, ma petite.” I swallowed. I did, but Hammond looked a lot stronger than me. Hell, I’d try it.  
I didn’t even say anything. I simply kicked him in the left kneecap as hard as I could. I heard it pop out of joint and he screamed, falling toward the ground. I swept his legs and rode him down. I caught his wrists behind my knees, holding him in place. I wrapped my left arm around his throat, pushing my forearm against his Adams apple. I put my right arm around my left wrist giving myself a lever and I pulled hard.  
“Drop the barrier or I’ll strangle you.” I whispered into his ear. I put more pressure on his throat as an example. He gasped and struggled against me. He couldn’t reach me with his feet but he tried to roll me. I tightened my hold again, I was going to bruise but it was worth it. After unending minutes he got the better of me and rolled us so I was on the bottom on my back. I didn’t care; it just gave me a better angle, even if I was being squashed. He was starting to turn red; I could see it on his neck and ear, skin mottling. Finally he slumped on top of me and I felt strong hands lift him off me. Rhys and Jean Claude took one of my arms each and lifted me to my feet effortlessly. I complained about Rhys holding my left arm, I had cramp in it and blood still ran slowly from the cut I’d made. I moved it around until the feeling returned.  
“So who wants to call Lucy and explain this to her?” Merry asked.


	36. Chapter 36

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Explaining themselves to Lucy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so here is what I did. I found out what cock up I made in my own work; the chapter wasn't down twice, when I went to copy chapter 36 I accidentally hit paste instead of copy, which messed it up. I knew exactly what was missing, once I took a minute or two to look, so it will still be 43 chapters and my heart rate has about returned to normal! Or as normal as it ever gets! Yay!

Three hours later I sat in the van with Merry who was now wrapped in a paramedics blanket. Lucy had got a court order of execution for the gang of vamps and Rhys had carried out the deed as they were all still under his power. I’d watched him in awe as he went around touching each of them and they fell dead at his feet. I wasn’t sure how a death power worked on the already dead but it did and I wasn’t going to argue. We’d both given statements and were waiting for the cops to finish with the guards and Jean Claude.  
Hammond had regained consciousness as the cops had arrived. He’d confessed everything. His mother had made him believe his father was a good man who’d died before he was born. When the father had sent a hit man to take out his illegitimate son and his mother he’d chosen someone who was half Sidhe. Hammond had seen his mother killed by the half Sidhe when he was seven and had had a grudge against anyone not pure blooded. Merry pointed out he was half Sidhe too. The sick son of a bitch hadn’t even realised. He’d hired the vamps to do his killing for him. He wanted to rid the world of anything not one hundred percent pure whatever. If he did that there’d probably be no one left.  
“How did you find us?” Merry asked eventually.  
“Kendrick told us he’d heard of a gang of vamps hanging out here. It was the only clue we had.”  
“Kendrick to the rescue, huh?”  
“No. Us to the rescue. Kendrick was the info broker.” I shrugged. “I don’t know if he’s expecting anything in return.”  
“We’ll deal with that when it comes to it.” Her face turned serious. “What happened between you, Jean Claude and Rhys?”  
“We just channelled each others powers to enable us to control the vamps. I called my powers, to get their attention if you like, Jean Claude provided the link to the vamps and Rhys controlled them. I don’t know how it worked, just that it did.”  
“Luckily.”  
“Yeah, luckily.”  
Rhys slid into the back of the van with us. “What’s going on now?” I asked him.  
“They’re just finishing up with Galen. Lucy made me come sit in the van. She said I was enjoying myself too much.”  
I laughed and checked my watch. “If we don’t get out of here soon we’ll miss the twenty-four hour mark with your aunt.”  
Merry sighed. “She won’t be happy but I think she’ll understand if we explain someone tried to kill me.”  
“I’ll go see if I can get a rough time out of them.” I climbed over her and out of the van. The place was awash with officers both uniformed and plain clothed. I spotted Detective Tate with a group of uniforms. I waved at her and she finished up with them and came over.   
“What do you need, Anita?”  
“Nothing. I was just wondering when we could get out of here. We have an appointment to meet shortly.”  
“Sure. Once Galen’s done you can all go.” She leant in closer to me, “What’s the story with this Jean Claude guy?”  
I laughed slightly. “I know him from St Louis.”  
“And he’s a vampire?” She was frowning at me.  
“Yeah. He’s a vampire.”  
“He kept calling you ‘ma petite’.”  
“I know.”  
“Doesn’t that bother you?”  
I looked into her pretty eyes. “Not anymore.” And I walked back towards the van.


	37. Chapter 37

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hopes are dashed.

We were all assembled in Merry's bedroom again. For once I hadn’t been injured seriously. Things were looking up. Andais appeared in the mirror again wearing all black but this time her hair was up with a few long curls falling around her face. I couldn’t have coped with all that hair but I was betting she had people to do that for her.  
“Good evening, niece.”  
“Good evening, my Queen.”  
She looked at Jean Claude at my side. “Good evening Jean Claude, master vampire of St Louis.”  
“Your majesty.” He bowed low, his head almost touching the bed.  
“Ms Blake, I see you’re still there.”  
“Well, you know me,” I shrugged “I’m like a bad penny. You just can’t get rid of me.”  
She laughed slightly at that. “Now Jean Claude, I have an answer for your proposal.”  
“I eagerly await your answer.” He said nobly.   
“I agree that an alliance between the vampires of St Louis and the Unseelie court would indeed be profitable for all involved.”  
“I am so glad you agree. I have a suggestion as to which Raven would make the ideal candidate.”  
“I’m sure you do. However I have decided the position should go to Kendrick.”  
My heart sank into my stomach and Jean Claude paused for a moment, looking at the mirror.  
“Kendrick, you highness? I do not know Kendrick personally.”  
“Kendrick is the obvious choice. He can come back to the courts and familiarise himself then come to be your liaison. He can live either in the city or here at the mounds. For who would be better as an Unseelie/vampire liaison than an Unseelie vampire?”  
“I have to agree your logic is flawless, your highness.” Said Jean Claude with a sigh.  
“Then it is settled. When you return to St Louis bring Kendrick with you.”  
She turned to Merry. “There is one more thing, Meredith. I am holding a ball in two weeks time which you will need to attend.”  
“I will need to attend?” Merry didn’t sound happy. I wouldn’t have been happy either. I don’t like being told what to do.  
“Indeed. As will Ms Blake there.”  
“Me?” I didn’t try and hide the shock from my voice.  
“Yes, Ms Blake. We cannot have a ball without the guest of honour.”  
“You’re kidding?” I asked.  
“I never kid.” Her face didn’t slip. I believed her. “I hope you will bring Jean Claude as your guest.”  
“Sure, but what have I done to…”  
“You saved my son, Ms Blake. For that I am grateful. I wish to show you my gratitude.”  
“Give Merry the time and I’ll be there.” I said. I didn’t want to go, I didn’t even want to keep standing here. I wanted to run to Rhys and hold him. We’d lost our one chance at being together. Shit.  
“I look forward to it. Goodnight.” The mirror went back to its reflective glory and I turned to see Rhys. His face was blank, carefully controlled. He turned and walked slowly from the room.  
I found him outside on the deck.  
“Are you okay?” I asked.  
“Peachy.” He said.  
“I don’t know what to say, Rhys. We’ll find a way. Somehow we will.”  
“But you’re going back to St Louis.”  
“You knew I would.” I looked down and sighed. “You can come and visit regularly. I can come here…”  
“It’ll be so hard.” He turned to look at me. He looked sadder than I’d ever seen him. Tears glistened in his eye. “I want to be with you always, Anita. Not just part time.” He moved up to me and took me in his arms, holding me like he’d never let go. I felt tears burning at the back of my throat and I tried to swallow them. It didn’t work. I sobbed. He moved back from me and placed a kiss on my lips. I could taste the salt of his tears mingled with my own.  
“We’ll work it out. We have to.” I said. “Let me think about it, okay?”  
“At least we’ll get to see each other at the ball.” He smiled slightly. “I’d better book my dance now. The guest of honour always gets booked up pretty quick.”  
I smiled back. “I’ll book you every odd number.” We laughed despite ourselves. After all, what else was there to do? Cry? I wasn’t a big fan of crying. Even with tears rolling down my face and my heart in my mouth I’d rather be laughing. Wouldn’t everybody?


	38. Chapter 38

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> LA gets left behind.

Jean Claude and I spent two more nights in LA. He let Rhys share my bed every night. We made the most of our time. We went out for meals and walks, almost every regular date you’ve ever heard of.  
Merry, Frost, Galen and Rhys came and saw us off at the airport. I didn’t want to touch Rhys, knowing I wouldn’t be able to hold him again for two weeks. I was making myself go cold turkey. Seeing him at the departure gate changed my mind however. We just held each other for long minutes until Jean Claude told me it was time to go. I didn’t cry again. The last thing I saw of Rhys was the kiss he blew me as I went through the gate.  
“You seem quiet, ma petite. Are you alright?”  
I was sat in one of the plush chairs in Jean Claude’s jet. My knuckles were white on the arms. I hated flying but I hated watching LA disappear behind us even more. Kendrick sat quietly at the back of the plane.  
“No.” I said. He came and knelt in front of me. I couldn’t even bring myself to move around on an aircraft but Jean Claude did so like he was in his living room.  
“I know you will miss him.” His face was serious. “Even I will miss him.” I raised an eyebrow at him. “Alright, perhaps not in the same way you will miss him, but already I feel his power fading from us. It was…intoxicating to say the least.”  
“I’ll be okay.” I said. I didn’t believe it even as I said it. “I just need some time.”  
“I’ll be there when you need me, ma chere.” He took me in his arms. “Of anyone you could have chosen the whole world over, I believe Rhys is the one man I would be willing to share you with.”  
“Thanks, Jean Claude.” He convinced me to move to the two-seater and he held me all the way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry! There is more to come, that is not the end of the holiday romance (obviously, as there are more chapters to come!).
> 
> I have to confess, I was tempted to leave it here and not post any more chapters today, leave it hanging, as it were, but I'm not that cruel, I'm really not! So as this was a short chapter you can have not just one more chapter but TWO!!!! Yay!


	39. Chapter 39

The next two weeks went in a blur. I kept myself busy, not giving myself time to think. Rhys called every lunchtime. We talked about things that had been happening, just like friends, see? How was your day? You’ll never guess… not once did we mention missing each other. It was too hard. Jean Claude was there for me. He took my mind off things as much as he could. We went out every available evening I had. Sometimes I even just went and sat in his office with him while he over-saw Guilty Pleasures or The Laughing Corpse. I didn’t want to be alone. It made me think. I cried once. When Ronnie came over to exercise and I told her everything. We never did make it out for our run.  
Merry and the guards arrived in St Louis two days before the ball. I met them at the airport. I stood waiting for the arrivals gate to open feeling elation I hadn’t realised possible. The paparazzi were there. Princess Meredith coming home for a ball was big news. I wondered if she’d bother with the glamour or give them a show. I saw Barry Jenkins walk in. He saw me and I smiled at him. He moved as far from me as possible. I was glad. I was still staring at Barry Jenkins when the arrival doors crashed open and Rhys ran through them. The cameras flashed as he went by, a guard of Princess Meredith’s in a hurry, must be something good. He looked dashing in white shirt, white slacks, and white shoes. I started to walk towards him then found myself running. I was swept up into his arms and he spun me as he kissed me. We must have looked like the happy ending from some sloppy modern weepy but I didn’t care. Someone shouted; “That’s Anita Blake!” and I realised our story would be all over the front pages by morning. Vampire master’s girlfriend seen publicly kissing one of the Unseelie Ravens. I didn’t care. All that mattered was that he was here now. The cameras turned from us as Merry and the other guards came through the doors. Rhys rested my feet back on the floor and brushed my cheek with his hand.  
“I’ve missed you.” His voice was husky, deep with emotion. I leant into his hand and kissed his palm.  
“I’ve missed you too.”  
“Happy reunion guys, but can we get to the car?” That was Galen. Merry had reached us and they were being followed by the reporters. I smiled once more at Rhys then ran past them to get my car open. I’d had another taxi waiting outside so once the luggage was in we were away.  
Rhys sat beside me, Merry, Doyle and Frost in the back. Kitto, Galen, Nicca and Sage were in the cab. Rhys was holding my hand as I drove. It made changing gear tricky but we managed.  
“Where are you staying?” I asked as we pulled onto Interstate 70.  
“The Ritz Carlton.” Merry said.  
I raised an eyebrow. “That’s impressive.”  
“My aunt is footing the bill.” I noticed her smile in the mirror.  
“Somehow I get the feeling she wanted you to stay in the mounds.”  
“She always does. But I think it’s safer away from the court.”  
“You’re making me feel real confident about the upcoming ball, you know.”  
“Sorry. You know, it’s a nice place to visit…”  
I knew exactly how she felt. “How many rooms did you take?”  
“Two interconnecting suites again. But we don’t have enough beds so I wondered if you’d mind putting one of us up at your place.”  
“Oh, did you have someone in mind?”   
“I thought maybe Rhys could stay with you. He’s no bother, really.”  
I laughed. “You hadn’t already planned this, had you?” I looked at her innocent expression in the mirror.  
“Who, me?”  
“You’ll never go to heaven, Meredith Gentry!”  
“I think that had already been taken as read.” Said Doyle and we all laughed.  
I dropped everyone but Rhys off at the hotel and we promised to join them for dinner later that evening. Once we were back on the interstate Rhys spoke.  
“So did you have any plans for the next few days?”  
“Well, I have dinner arrangements for tonight, and a ball in a couple of days time. Can’t think of anything else though.”  
“Good.” I glanced at him. He was turned in the seat looking at me, a broad grin on his face.  
“What?” I asked him.  
He shrugged. “I’m just trying to stop myself jumping you before we get to your place.”  
“It’s broad daylight, Rhys, we’d get arrested.”  
He sighed. “I’d forgotten how good it sounds when you say my name.”  
“My saying Rhys gets you off?”  
He shrugged heavily. “I guess so.”  
I laughed and he leant forward so his lips were almost against my ear. “Anita.” He whispered. His breath brushed my ear and hair making me shiver involuntarily.  
“Looks like you enjoy it when I say your name too.” He sat back in his seat, a smug grin on his face. He was right.  
We parked outside my apartment building and Rhys took his case from the trunk. I spotted my neighbour, Mrs Pringle coming out of the apartment with her irritating Pomeranian, Custard, for his afternoon walk. She waved as she saw me approaching. I waved back.  
“Great.” I muttered through the smile I’d plastered onto my face. “That’s my neighbour.”  
“Okay.”  
“Hello, Anita. My, who is your friend?” She looked Rhys up and down. Custard sniffed around his feet.  
“This is Rhys, a good friend. He’s staying with me for a couple of day. Rhys, this is Mrs Pringle.”  
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Rhys took her hand gentlemanly and kissed it. Mrs Pringle blushed. I couldn’t believe it, she actually blushed.  
“Well, isn’t he polite?” She said.  
“He’s great, but he’s also just flown in so he’s pretty tired. I need to get him settled in so he can recover.”  
“Oh of course, Anita. Nice to have met you, Rhys.” She walked away, letting Custard drag her down the street.  
“I’m tired am I?” He asked as we walked up the stairs.  
“Oh yeah. You need to get straight upstairs and into bed.”  
“I like the sound of that.” He slung his arm over my shoulder and I put mine around his waist. It was comfortable. Hell, it was better than comfortable, it was amazing.


	40. Chapter 40

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little filler chapter between Rhys' arrival and the ball in Anita's honour, which of course will go totally smoothly...

We barely made it to the bedroom. As I unlocked the door Rhys started untucking my t-shirt. I walked away from him quickly into the apartment and he put his case down inside the door, locking it behind him.  
“Okay, quick tour. Living room, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom.” I pointed towards them each in turn. “Any more questions? No? Good.” I threw myself back into his arms and he picked me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist.   
There was nothing gentle in the way he kissed me; his need was so raw I could almost taste it. His tongue plunged into me the moment our lips met, probing, exploring. I returned the intensity of the kiss, enjoying the feel of him inside me, his body pressed against mine, his hands against my thighs, his hair running through my fingers. He walked in two long strides to the sofa and lay me down. He pulled away from me to look down into my eyes. He was smiling still but his eye was dark with lust.  
“I’ve missed looking at you.” He bent to kiss me again.  
“As nice as this is, we’re not doing it on the couch.” He frowned at me. “It’s white. It’ll show up anything we leave on it. That’s why bed covers are washable.”  
“Okay.” He sighed. He got up off me and lifted me from the couch into his arms. “Bedroom was this way, right?”  
We went through the door and he threw me gently onto the bed. He looked round quickly, his gaze resting on my stuffed penguin collection.  
“Penguins?” He asked.  
“Yeah, penguins. There a problem with that?”  
“No.”   
We spent the next few hours getting “reacquainted”. By the time we met Merry and the others for dinner we both had large grins on our faces.  
Two days went by very quickly. The first day I let Rhys take my car. He dropped me off at work in the afternoon and picked me up to take me to my appointments that night. I got the call on the intercom in my office just as my last client left.  
“Anita, there’s a young man in reception, says he’s here to pick you up.” Mary sounded…I don’t know, excited, curious, giggly, all of the above. Everyone knew I was dating Jean Claude but any man turning up to pick me up turned heads. It just rarely happened. Rhys was sitting amongst the assorted greenery of the reception area. He stood as I walked up to him and he bent to lay a soft, smouldering kiss on my lips. I heard Mary sigh and I turned to look at her.  
“Mary, this is Rhys. Rhys, Mary.” He shook her hand. She was staring at his face and I knew it was the scars and eye-patch that were holding her attention. Funny how I didn’t see them anymore. They were just part of Rhys. They didn’t stand out any more than his arm or leg did.  
“Goodnight, Mary.” I turned and pulled Rhys out the door behind me.  
“Goodnight, Anita. See you Monday.” I knew she would. She’d want to know who he was, how we’d met, his shoe size, you know, the usual. And as usual I wouldn’t tell her squat.   
I took Rhys to the Circus of the Damned to see Jean Claude. We experimented for a while with our powers together, nothing sexual. In my dreams was one thing, but a ménage a trois for real? I wasn’t sure I was ready for that. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be ready. I mean, what do you do with…well I just couldn’t figure it out. Maybe Merry could tell me. I laughed at the thought as we got out of the car.  
“What’s so funny?” Rhys asked as we walked through the circus afterwards to get some food.  
“I was just thinking, that’s all.”  
“What about?”  
“I need to ask Merry's advice on something.” He pulled a face, curiosity wrinkling his brow. “You don’t want to know.” I said and he left it at that. I liked a man who does what he’s told.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looking back at this now I realise I missed a perfectly good opportunity for 'I missed you' smut. If you want me to write it and drop it in as an extra chapter, drop me a comment and I'll get on it as soon as!


	41. Chapter 41

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Get your glad rags on!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, at the final three chapters of R&A already! Get ready for the ball where there are still few more surprises before the end!

Bert had given me the night off for the ball…okay I’d told him I was taking the night off and he could sack me if he didn’t like it. Merry and I had spoken about what to wear. She’d rummaged through my wardrobe and I couldn’t believe what she thought was appropriate. I was wearing the pink dress I’d worn in my friend Catherine Maison Gillett’s wedding. It looked like a prom dress, puffy sleeves and all. And to think I’d thought I’d never have occasion to wear it again. I did not wear the horrible flower and ribbon concoction they’d made me wear to hide my scars. Or the gloves. They could all stare at my scars. I didn’t care. I’d caught up the top of my hair and let some errant curls fall loose around my face. Rhys had said he’d liked it like that. I’d even put on pink eye shadow and lipstick. I looked like a pale Hispanic Barbie doll but I matched. Merry had warned me no guns in the mounds. I was upset but I had a knife in an ankle holster. I hoped no one picked a fight tonight; I’d have to find the damn thing amongst all this pink material and that’d take time.  
Jean Claude was going to meet us there after dark but he’d sent his limo to pick me up and I’d arranged to pick up Merry and the guards. Rhys had gone to the hotel with them to get ready. The limo parked outside the Ritz and I went into reception, pink heels clicking a staccato on the marbled floor. I went up to the desk and the concierge smiled at me. He was young and handsome and his gaze lingered longer on my décolletage than my scars. I was suddenly uncomfortable.  
“Could you please call up to Ms Gentry’s suite and tell her that her ride is here.”  
“Certainly.” He smiled broader. I realised he was that bit taller than me making it easy for him to see down my top. I crossed my arms over my chest and he moved away to make the call.  
“Anita?” I turned on hearing Rhys’ voice. He was walking towards me across the lobby. He was wearing, God how did you describe it? He looked like the star of an elf-porn movie, not that I’d seen such things. He was wearing tight white breeches, think Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice only sparkling white and tighter, a sheer tank top showed off his muscled torso. His sword hung at his waist and his eye patch glittered with stones. Maybe diamonds, I couldn’t tell.  
“I nearly didn’t recognise you.” He took my hands and looked me up and down. “You look so...”  
“Pink? Girly? Feminine?”  
He laughed. “Different.” He kissed me softly. I looked up at him.  
“Now you’re wearing my lipstick.” I wiped at his lips with my thumb.  
“Did you really have that dress in your wardrobe already?”  
“Yes. Are the others ready?” I tried to change the subject. It didn’t work.  
“They should be. When did you have to buy a dress like that?”  
I nearly said senior prom but changed my mind. “I was in a wedding last year. This was the outfit they forced me to wear.”  
“You look beautiful in it.”  
“I feel like I’ve been dipped in cotton candy.”  
“So maybe I could peel it off you later.” His voice deepened and he ran his hands around my waist, pulling me close.  
“Someone had better.” I said.  
“What time is Jean Claude coming out?” That put a dampener on things. Boyfriend B mentions boyfriend A, it makes things go really smoothly.  
“At full dark. Merry told him that the banquet should be over by then. He’ll turn up in time for the ball.”  
“Yeah, about that.” Rhys sounded regretful all of a sudden. “Merry says you have to dance fairly with each of the guards. You can’t be seen to be favouring me.”  
I sighed. “I’d been thinking the same thing. Just as well I don’t like to dance. Maybe I can sit them all out.” I smiled at the thought.  
“Not a chance. You’re the guest of honour. You’ll have to lead the first dance. Probably with Jean Claude.”  
“Why didn’t anybody tell me this before?” My eyes were wide, my heart pounding. I’d faced master vampires, a lamia, were-creatures of every description, giant snakes, witches and zombies and here I was terrified of a little dancing.  
“Is this another of your irrational fears? Dancing?” He was making fun of me.  
“I’m not afraid of dancing.” I scowled. “I’m afraid of falling flat on my face when everyone’s watching me dancing.”  
“So we’ll make sure whoever you’re dancing with takes it easy on you.” He pulled me close to him. “You’ll be fine.” I wasn’t so sure.   
The rest of the guards were dressed like Rhys, only matching their respective colourings. Merry was wearing a burgundy dress with a high square neck and spaghetti straps that fell softly to her ankles. She looked elegant. How did she do that? She was shorter than me, she looked like she’d walked straight out of the pages of a fashion magazine and I looked like a doll some over enthusiastic five year old had dressed. I wasn’t going to win this one. So I bit the bullet and led them all to the limo.


	42. Chapter 42

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the ball (anyone else start singing at the ball from Cinderella III or just me? No? Just me? Story of my life!)

The faerie mounds were more beautiful than I remembered. But the last time I’d been here I’d run through most of it. When you’re trying to save someone’s life you don’t take time to smell the roses, even if it is someone you don’t like. Lights danced around us showing a path.  
Rhys and I had kissed in the car. From here on in we were on dangerous ground. No casual touches and no furtive glances unless we directed them at everyone else in the group too. I had a feeling I’d be glancing at everyone else often. The one consolation I had was that Merry insisted I needed an escort. So I found myself legitimately on Rhys’ arm. I made the most of it, who knew when I’d next feel him this close to me.  
Doyle had taken point leading the way with Galen just behind. Merry walked arm in arm with Frost just in front of Rhys and I; Nicca and Kitto brought up the rear.  
The entrance to the mounds seemed to have moved since the last time I was here but I wasn’t sure. I’d asked Merry later. Maybe there was more than one.   
Doyle led us into a large…room. I wanted to say cave because the walls, ceiling and floor were all bare rock but it lacked the dampness of a real cave. Voices echoed loudly as we first entered then stopped entirely, all eyes turning on us. Long tables filled the room, occupied with various fey. I’d never seen so many different kinds in one place. Hell, I hadn’t even realised there were so many different kinds. I glanced around then let my eyes rest on a long table on a raised dais at the end of the aisle from the doors. Queen Andais sat on the throne in the centre with Cel on her left. Two seats to her right were empty.  
“You’ll be sitting up there next to Merry.” Rhys said quietly.  
“Where do you guys sit?”  
“We’re the help. We eat later.” I didn’t agree with that but decided to leave it. I was horribly outnumbered, even on etiquette.  
As Merry walked past the fey on either side bowed to her. Let’s hear it for forcible respect? I could feel magic tingling in the air and it brought goosebumps to my skin.  
“You okay?” Rhys whispered.  
“Yeah. Just an overdose of magic in the air.” He nodded. A lot of people here didn’t like Merry, mainly through fear of Cel, she’d explained to me before. Cel. That brought my mind back to the dais we were approaching. Andais and Cel were smiling at us as we came towards them. Andais seemed pleased, Cel just looked maniacal. Good to know some things never changed. Merry curtsied low in front of her aunt as the guards bowed. I did a kind of bob manoeuvre. I was not doing a full curtsey. She wasn’t my Queen.  
“Meredith, Princess of Flesh and Blood. I welcome you back to the mounds.” Andais’ voice rode over us all, loud enough for all to hear.  
“Thank you, Andais, Queen of Air and Darkness.” Merry replied. She hadn’t got up from her curtsey and my knees were starting to twinge. I hoped she got up soon.  
“And welcome, Anita Blake, necromancer and Executioner.”  
“Thank you, your majesty.” I went for short. Anything to get me up out of this half crouch.  
“You may all rise.” She said. I was glad. I felt my right knee pop as I stood up and I tightened my grip on Rhys’ arm, not wanting to let the pain show on my face.  
Merry released Frost’s arm and moved to me, offering me hers. “We get to go to our seats now.” I took her arm and I half-hobbled up the steps to the second spare seat. “Are you okay?” she whispered.  
“Yeah. My knee just popped from all this royal grovelling.”  
“You never change do you, Ms Blake?” Andais was looking at me as Merry and I moved to stand in front of our seats mirroring her.  
“Leopards and spots, your majesty.” She laughed. I think I’d amused her. I hoped she wasn’t laughing at me. The guards moved to stand at our backs and Andais sat. The rest of the room followed. I sank gratefully into the chair. My knee was feeling better already. Wine was offered but I refused and a jug of iced water was brought out for me. Guess the fey aren’t big on coke. The food was brought out to us on the top table first. I felt highly conspicuous. Normally I liked to watch other people, stay out of the way, but here I felt like a target. Shit. I squirmed in my seat enough for Merry to notice.  
“Are you okay?” She asked as the first food was served.  
“I feel very…exposed.”  
“I know what you mean.” I turned to look at her and suddenly I wondered if she was carrying a weapon too. Her eyes showed the same concerns I felt. If anyone wanted to bump us off, we were in the right place for them to do it. Whoever they might be. Give me a few minutes, I’d think of someone.  
The food was delicious and plentiful. Some of the meat I didn’t recognise and steered clear of it. Who knows what it was. I didn’t eat until I was full, I didn’t want to dance on a full stomach. The meal ended and everyone moved through to a side room, plushly decorated in shades of gold. Everyone had more drinks and mingled, I sipped my water and stood with the guards as Merry and Doyle circled the room being the good little princess and escort. I stood between Galen and Rhys feeling the safest I’d felt all night. No one had tried to make small talk with me and I was relieved. I watched the room carefully but there were too many faces to take in. Galen and Rhys pointed out a couple of the more relevant fey, Queen Niceven of the Demi-fey, Kurag of the goblins, Sholto King of the Host, whatever that might be, and many more but my heart wasn’t in it. I just wasn’t used to socialising. I felt out of place and I’d felt full dark come and go and Jean Claude still hadn’t made his appearance. I was beginning to wonder where he was.  
A herald came back into the room and announced the ball was about to begin and everyone started to file back into the room. Merry came back to join us with a grim look on her face.  
“My aunt says seeing as Jean Claude isn’t here you have to lead the first dance with someone else.”  
“Who?”  
“Who do you think? The very guy you saved.”  
“Cel?” I said it loud enough that the fey walking by heard me and turned to look.  
“Yeah. She thinks it’ll be a nice touch. The honorary guest dancing with the prince she saved. Real emotive stuff.”  
“Emotive my ass, this is not a fairy tale. Shit, I don’t want him anywhere near me!” I hissed hoping no one could hear.  
“But you have no choice.” Cel said as he approached. He had a smug smile on his face. He was dressed all in black leather, very tight black leather. He looked like he’d been poured into his tank top and pants leaving nothing to the imagination. His long black hair fell like a cloak behind him. He held out a hand to me. I stared at it. Rhys and Galen moved in closer to me.  
“What are you going to do, Ravens? Protect her from a waltz?” He laughed. He was right. I was being silly, it was only a dance and I was making it a performance. I took his hand and stepped towards him.  
“You’ll need to go through now, Meredith.” He didn’t take his eyes off me as he spoke. “We have to make an entrance when announced.”  
No one moved. I looked to Merry and then at the assorted guards, my gaze falling twice on Rhys, but subtly. I was proud of that. “I’ll be okay.”  
They filed out slowly and I watched them go. I knew Rhys was fighting not to look back and Merry took his hand as they got to the door. I was glad of that. I had visions of him coming back in here and punching Cel out. Maybe it was just my fantasy but it would have caused all kinds of trouble.   
Cel hadn’t released my hand and he lifted it and walked around me leaving me stood with my arm in the air like a pissed off ballerina.   
“You clean up beautifully, Anita.” He said my name like it was a dirty word, making it perverted somehow. I kept quiet. He’d only complimented me. Nothing wrong in that, except he was viewing me like a piece of meat on display in a butchers’ window. Maybe that’s what the other women were to him; perhaps he could pick and choose whoever he wanted. Well I wasn’t going to be one of them.   
He moved back to my right side and put my arm through his. I’d wanted him to feel slimy somehow, less normal so I could hate him more but he didn’t. The only thing I felt from him was his magic just below the surface and that was totally non-threatening. I heard a herald make an announcement and a fanfare. Cel stepped forward and I fell into step beside him. It was our cue I guessed. I was going to enter like Cinderella only on the arm of the evil prince instead of the charming one. Why was my life always so fucked up?  
There was applause as we took our place in the centre of the now empty floor. A band struck up from somewhere out of sight and the natural acoustics amplified it perfectly. Cel moved to face me. He held my right hand in his left and put his right on my hip. I put my left on his upper arm. I didn’t need to hold the dress up, it wasn’t quite that long and if I had a hand on him I could always push him away.  
“Try to look like you’re enjoying yourself, Anita.” He purred. He was still smiling his smug little smile. “This ball is in your honour, after all.”  
“Whatever.” I said as we started to move. I smiled a little so it would look to everyone else like I was smiling, only my eyes telling the truth.  
I concentrated for the first few minutes on putting my feet in the right place, not standing on him. It would serve him right if I did but I didn’t want to show myself up.  
“You know, I’ve thought about you often since we met.” He said eventually. He was staring intently at me.  
“You mean since I saved your ass because you were crying like a baby?”  
He laughed and it looked like we were having a good time. I wasn’t. His fingers started to trace lazy circles on the small of my back, pulling me a little closer to him.  
“I mean since I held you this close to me in the cemetery.”  
“Yeah, it’s given me nightmares too.”  
The laugh again. “I meant what I said. I would like to take you as a consort.”  
“And I’d like a quiet life but it’s not going to happen.”  
“I can be quite convincing.”  
“I can be quite violent.”  
“I believe you can.” He whispered. Dammit. He’d made what I said sexual. “If I get the chance, my dear Anita, I will have you.”  
“Not in this life time.”  
“You make it sound like you have a choice.”  
That was enough. Flirting with me was one thing but threats of rape were another thing entirely. I pushed against him with my hand to step away but he used my momentum to spin me out wide and pulled me back against him with a thump. His arm snaked around my waist and held me close to him. I could feel him growing hard against my stomach.  
“Fight me, Anita. Fight me.” He whispered. I tried to struggle but his arm was an iron grip around me. I was going to start panicking in a moment. He could easily throw me over his shoulder and cart me from the room if he wanted to. “I want you elf-struck with me.”  
“It doesn’t work on me, asshole, get your hands off me.”  
“Really? And who have you tested the theory with?” I froze in his arms. I’d accidentally let slip the one thing I couldn’t afford to.  
“I met a fey descendent in Branson. He had no effect on me.” It was true that I’d met a fey in Branson, and he’d had no effect on me. At least his glamour hadn’t. I wasn’t going to tell Cel that.  
“But tell me you don’t still crave the touch of Sidhe flesh?” He whispered into my hair and brushed my earlobe with his tongue. There was nothing I could do so I gritted my teeth.  
“I’d rather have a root canal.”  
“That won’t be necessary, ma petite.” Cel jumped and turned. Jean Claude had come to stand behind him. I was betting he’d heard every word. I smiled in relief. I was always being rescued by the monsters from the monsters in one-way or another. The only question was which were the good and which were the bad monsters? I knew the answer in this case.  
“This is not an excuse me.” Cel snarled, looking Jean Claude in the eye, he was taller than Jean Claude by a couple of inches but he’d made a big mistake. Rule number one; never look a vamp in the eye.  
“I think you will find that it is.” I felt Jean Claude’s magic hit Cel and he backed away, releasing me. Jean Claude bowed to Cel with a flourish. “Thank you for keeping her warm for me.” He said loud enough for all to hear then turned and took me in his arms for the rest of the song. I’d have words with him later about his choice of phrase.  
“I’m so glad you showed up.” I said.  
“I could taste your fear all the way outside, ma petite. What kind of beau would I be if I’d left you to that animal?” He danced gracefully and I fell into step easily with him. No need to be careful of Jean Claude. We danced like we were made for each other. I started at the thought. If he noticed he didn’t mention it. Bully for him.  
The song came to an end shortly afterwards and we applauded the musicians. Other couples moved onto the dance floor and I went to walk away but Jean Claude kept hold of my hand, preventing me from moving.  
“Just one more dance, ma petite? You still owe me from the night I took you to the Danse Macabre.” I sighed and turned back to him. I figured I could allow him one more dance.  
I hardly got off the floor all night. The guards and Jean Claude danced with me in turn so I got to dance with Rhys every six songs. They were all surprisingly elegant and I really did feel like the poor little cousin but their elegance meant that my inexperience didn’t show. Cel watched me for the rest of the evening, not daring to approach. I wondered what Jean Claude had done when he rolled his mind. I hoped it was nasty.  
It was two am before I knew it and Andais had called a halt to the dancing for a moment. Cel and Merry had resumed their positions on either side of her throne with their respective guards at their backs. I fought the urge to wave at them. Hey, that’s my friends up there! It looked like we were about to get a speech of some kind. I stood close to Jean Claude and waited, as did everyone else. Andais stood and looked around the silent room.  
“We are here today to thank an extraordinary young woman for her deeds three months ago. Ms Anita Blake, our guest of honour,” I felt a blush seeping up my neck. Dammit. I was going to be embarrassed, “saved Cel from the attack of an unknown terror sent to destroy him.” I tried not to smile at that. What a load of crap. I didn’t know if she knew the truth or just didn’t want everyone else to know.  
“Please, Anita, come and stand before me.”  
Jean Claude pushed gently at the base of my spine and guided me to stand before Andais at the bottom of the dais. He stepped back from me and to the left so he was standing almost opposite Merry on her throne.  
“You have earned my gratitude, Anita Blake, and as reward I make you this offer.” She took a deep breath. “I will give you any one thing which is within in my power to give.”  
A murmur ran through the crowd and I stood and looked at her for a moment. “Anything?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.  
“Anything.” She confirmed.  
“You give me your word of honour? No questions asked?” I knew how seriously the fey took their word and I had to be sure as a plan formulated in my mind.  
“Of course. Before these witnesses I give you my word of honour. If it is within my power to grant, you may have it. No questions asked, of course.”  
I glanced at Merry and she nodded slowly and once at me, a slight smile on her lips. I looked back at Jean Claude and he bowed his head slightly. Both small gestures I wouldn’t have noticed if I’d been anyone else watching but to me they spoke volumes.  
I swallowed and squared my shoulders. I had to get this just right.  
“There is one thing I would ask for, but it comes with conditions.”  
“And I will grant these conditions, providing they are reasonable. Please, Ms Blake, if you have something in mind, tell us all, we are dying to hear what you would like.” There was a lilt of amusement in her voice and a murmur of laughter rippled through the crowd. Well, let’s see if they think this is amusing.  
“I want Rhys.” Complete silence fell over the room and I knew everyone was looking from Rhys and back to me. I carefully kept my face blank and my eyes on Andais.  
“I’m sorry?” Andais looked confused.  
“I want Rhys.”   
She started to laugh, softly at first, then turned into loud guffaws, tears streaming down her face. The rest of the room joined in, except Merry, her guards, Jean Claude and me. Cel was surprisingly silent also. I glanced at Rhys. He was stood staring at me with his mouth open.  
“I am not joking.” I said as loud as I could. I put some of my power into it so it carried across the room. Andais stopped laughing as abruptly as she started.  
“You are serious?” She viewed me curiously.  
“Deadly.” I said. My face was carefully blank. If we’d been playing poker right now I’d have taken her to the cleaners.  
“Why Rhys?”  
“No questions asked, remember?”  
“Of course.” She said. She started to walk down the steps towards me. “You mentioned conditions?”  
“Yes. I do not want him to be outcast from faerie. I just wish him to be mine until such a time as we choose to go our separate ways or I die. And when this time comes he will come back into the service of Merry or her descendants and shall be punished in no way, shape or form.” She stood before me now. She looked surprised. Good. I liked surprising people.  
“You’ve really thought this through.” She said quietly.  
“Spur of the moment actually.” I shrugged. “I’m just really good under pressure.”  
“I’m afraid Rhys is not mine to give freely.” She said louder, so all around could hear. “He is Meredith's guard now.”  
“But if Merry agrees you will abide by the conditions, on your word?”  
She stared hard at me, I stared right back. She seemed more shocked than angry. I hoped it stayed that way. “I will.” She said eventually. “But I do not imagine Meredith will give up one of her Ravens so easily.”  
“I’ll answer that, Aunt Andais.” Merry stood. “I willingly and gladly give Rhys over to Anita Blake, as long as the conditions are agreed upon.”  
“I have said I will honour the conditions, have it not?” She snapped. Ah, here comes the anger. She lowered her voice to an angry whisper. “But you, my niece, will have to have another guard. I remember you being a little disappointed at my choices before.”  
“We have made arrangements for a new guard.” Merry spoke confidently. This was something I hadn’t planned for.  
“You have?” Andais asked. Surprise again.  
“Yes.” Merry turned to look at Kitto. “Darkness has been training Kitto to be a Raven. He believes his training is complete. I gladly take him as my fifth guard.”  
“And as a consort?” Andais asked.  
“And as a consort.” Merry nodded.  
“You would really take this goblin as your consort?” Fury was back again. But she turned it on Merry. I watched them carefully.  
“Kitto is as much Unseelie as Galen, Nicca or Doyle, your majesty.” Merry bowed her head slightly. “As much Unseelie as I.”  
Andais sighed. “You have this very well thought out, the two of you. I only decided to grant Anita a request an hour ago.”  
“As Anita said, she thinks well under pressure, as do I.”  
“It would appear you have me over the proverbial barrel.” Andais turned back to me. “Very well, Anita Blake. I grant you your request. From this day forth, Rhys is yours to do with as you see fit. Kitto, you shall be Meredith’s new guard and consort and I will abide by all the aforementioned conditions.” She leant in to me and whispered. “But do not try me, Ms Blake, my patience is only so good. Even with people who have saved my son.”  
“Thank you, your majesty.” I curtsied to her. I thought a little bit of grovelling might be in order.  
She turned back to her throne and glanced at Rhys. I did too, he looked shell shocked.  
“Well, go to her, Rhys.” She spat. And he was down the stairs and in my arms. Andais raised her hand and the music started again. No one danced though. Everyone was too busy looking at Rhys and me. But I didn’t care. When Rhys finally put me back on my feet I went and hugged Merry. She had given up one of her Ravens for me. It was one of those grand gestures true friends make for each other. I wished I could come close to repaying it. Maybe I’d think of something. Finally I went to Jean Claude and he kissed me softly. He was glad I was happy. Rhys came over to us and Jean Claude put a hand on his shoulder. I could feel whatever power binding the three of us in the air. Whatever it was it was more than the triumvirate with Richard, more concentrated somehow. Now we had the chance to really find out what we could do.  
I danced alternately with Jean Claude and Rhys the rest of the night. I was finally enjoying myself with the two men I loved. Yeah that’s right, I admit it. I’m in love with Rhys too. He’d die when I told him. He was right again. Damn. Better not tell him yet. Or maybe I would.   
Jean Claude left at five, before sunrise. I stayed on with Rhys until the bitter end. We finally got ourselves together at eight o’clock. Cel met us near the door on our way out. Merry and the others weren’t far behind; Jean Claude’s limo was still waiting for us.  
“So this is how you knew you couldn’t be elf-struck?” He said bitterly as he walked towards us. I felt Rhys tense against me.  
“Goodnight, Cel.” I said and went to move around him but he moved to block our path.  
“If my mother knew you had been sleeping with someone other than Merry she would have your head.” He smiled at Rhys.  
“We haven’t slept together.” I lied, staring into his dark eyes. “I was telling the truth about the Unseelie in Branson. Rhys and I just happened to be attracted to each other. I can’t wait to make sure it works with a full Unseelie.” I smiled at him. “And if it doesn’t, I’ve got Rhys the rest of my life to stop me craving Sidhe flesh.”  
“I don’t believe that for a second.” Cel sneered.  
“Prove otherwise.” I shrugged and pushed past him. He didn’t try and stop us; Merry and the others were approaching now and I’d bet we could take Cel if he started something. I really hoped he started something. Come on, you bastard, start something…  
He didn’t. I sighed as we got outside. The morning air was fresh and felt good. It had rained some time during the night.  
“What did Cel say to you last night, during the first dance?” Rhys asked quietly as we walked back down the path towards the limo.  
“He said he’d have me whether I liked it or not.” I shrugged.  
“Bastard.” He tensed beside me and I could feel his magic radiating against me as a humming line.  
“It’s okay. I don’t plan on seeing him again.”  
He pulled me close to him protectively. “He might come after you.”  
“Yeah, but I have my own Raven now for protection.” I smiled up at him.  
“You hardly need protecting.” He laughed. He looked down at me with a slight smile on his face. “But I wanted to ask you about something else too. How did you and Merry agree on a plan so fast?”  
“We didn’t. It really was spur of the moment.”  
“You two work real well together.”  
“We do, don’t we.” I smiled up at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YAAAASSSSS!!!!! They found a way around it! Cel is still an arsehole and we hate him but Jean Claude knows how to deal with him, Andais put herself over a barrel and they utilised it to the max with plenty of safeguards. Summing up chapter still to come!


	43. Chapter 43

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summing up chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has been reading my stories, they have given me a confidence boost in my abilities I desperately needed. I cringe when reading some of this stuff I have had laying around for years as I know my writing has grown so much but I still love to reread them every now and then!  
> Thank you also to my husband for putting up with my random obsessions with so many fictional friends and plot lines. I don't think he is ever sure who or what he is coming home to!

Rhys went back to LA for a few days to get all his things together then I moved him in with me. I didn’t think I would like having a man living with me but it was different with Rhys. We fell into a routine easily. He came along to some of my raisings, marvelling at my powers, he’d said. Most evenings we spent with Jean Claude. It wasn’t like when I was dating Richard and had to have separate dates. We all went out together. Once a week I went out with them individually but most of the time we were a trio. I didn’t sleep with them both every night although I gave them equal time. I drew up a rota. Rhys had laughed and said I was as bad as Merry.   
I asked Jean Claude what he thought our powers together were if not a triumvirate. He’d joked that we were a ménage. I ignored him. The subject of us all being together didn’t raise itself again and I’d never got round to asking Merry about it.  
Merry called often as I knew she would. She missed Rhys but it was a good excuse for her to come to St Louis on a regular basis. We saw her almost every fortnight, depending on if she was on a case.  
I introduced Rhys to Ronnie. She didn’t understand how I could be happily dating both Jean Claude and Rhys, but then she didn’t understand why I was with Jean Claude anyway. I didn’t try and explain it to her. She did do me one favour and got Rhys a job at her company. He had experience as a PI and her firm was only too happy to hire him. He was used for the occasional body-guarding job as he had in LA; he was high profile after all. Bert tried to get Rhys on our payroll but couldn’t think of anything for him to do. He has power over the dead but I’m not telling Bert that. He was just sore he was missing out on the publicity. Rhys started coming to the gym with us too. He didn’t interrupt our private time; he amused himself with the free weights while we ran. He was good like that.  
My life went on as normal as it gets. Four weeks after my vacation and its as though Rhys and I have been together all our lives. It was scary. But I’d faced worse, right? I’m sure I’d face worse again before the year was out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: A Were By Any Other Name


End file.
